Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[grahamrhind]

Hi all,

 

I read here and there about people providing their chickens with various supplements, in their water or food, things like garlic and mint, vinegar (?) and various other extras. I'm wondering whether this is because they don't get a normal full diet, can't free range, and so on, or whether all chickens need these. I currently don't give any supplements (and my local farmers' suppliers doesn't seem to stock any) but I'm wondering whether I need to - any pointers would be gratefully received.

 

As background, the ladies are very well fed:

 

* A whole grain professional chicken feed with a list of ingredients as long as the proverbial arm

* Rolled oats

* Boiled rice

* Salad leftovers (lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, sweet corn)

 

and they are free range so eat grass, insects, slugs and anything else they can find.

 

They seem generally healthy but I do lose a significant number to being egg-bound.

 

Any advice? I'd like them to live long and prosper ...

[Ursula123]

My girls get some poultry spice added to their porridge every other day. Once a month for a week, they have apple cider vinegar in their drinking water, I understand this is meant to help stress and also helps in the gut as it makes it hostile to worms. I have also been adding vit boost to the water for the last couple of weeks as I had a few soft shells.

 

I think the girls get all they need from the pellets but two if my girls are 3 years old and lay every day and have done since I got them at 20 weeks old, so I just like to give them a bit of a boost as I would imagine all those eggs take a toll.

[The Dogmother]

As with most human supplements, they can enhance health, but aren't strictly necessary.

 

I would drop the oats and boiled rice from your menu; they have little nutrition, and no real place in their diet. If they are free ranging, then all I would add it a good quality tonic to their water every now and then.

[Chickabee]

Mine get layers pellets. The occasional left over fruit or veg and once in a while some tonic in their water. Some free range, some don't. As dogmother says rice, oats and pasta are empty calories. A good pellet food is really all they need

[grahamrhind]

Thanks all. I give them rice which is left over and would otherwise be thrown away, and rolled oats just once a day because they like them and it draws them out of the Eglu when I arrive home at night so that I can do a roll-call

 

A supplementary question: should I be providing medication against worms on a preventative basis, or only if there's an infection?

[Ursula123]

I worm with pellets mixed with Flubenvet every three months.

[chickencam]

Mine get Garvo pellets or mash and Garvo mixed corn with a few mealworms just before bed as a treat. I have found that since I have been feeding with the Garvo I have had very few soft egg issues and the girls are in excellent condition and seem to live longer. I have been using it for about 5 years now. They also have a permanent pot of grit and lettuce and other greens occasionally. They love sweet corn season when they get the cut ends from our cobs and any old or not so well formed ones.