Optimizing Health and Diet for Laying Hens: A Complete Guide

If you want strong, productive laying hens that reward you with beautiful, nutrient-rich eggs day after day, it's simple: feed them a high-quality, nutritionally complete layer feed-and nothing else.

As a poultry keeper with over 7 years of experience, I've seen the difference a proper diet makes. When hens get exactly what their bodies need, they thrive. When their diet is diluted with scraps, treats or "extras", even healthy extras, production suffers, health declines and long-term problems creep in.

WHY A COMPLETE LAYER FEED MATTERS

A good layer feed is scientifically formulated to give hens the exact balance of:

• Protein for muscle health, feather quality and egg production. Not all proteins given to hens are the correct proteins. Laying hens require amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. They will receive amino acids in their chicken feed in the right balance required.

• Calcium for strong eggshells and skeletal health. Have a side dish of oyster shells available in a separate dish. The hens will regulate their own calcium intake and will consume as needed.

• Essential vitamins and minerals to support immunity, fertility and overall vitality.

  
  

This balance isn't random-it's precision nutrition, carefully designed to keep hens in peak condition throughout their laying cycle.

THE PROBLEM WITH EXTRAS

Kitchen scraps. scratch grains, mealworms and other treats might seem harmless, even kind as most backyard chicken keepers like to "spoil" their pets. But here's the truth: every bite of "extra" food displaces the balanced nutrients in their complete feed. Over time, this can lead to:

• Thin or soft-shelled eggs

• Reduced egg production

• Feather loss, poor plumage and the inability to regrow feathers (bald spots)

• Weakened immunity and susceptibility to illness

Think of it like feeding an athlete candy instead of a well-planned training diet-it simply won't support performance or long-term health.

EGG QUALITY STARTS WITH FEED QUALITY

A hen's diet directly affects her eggs. The right protein levels (amino acids) give rich, firm whites; the right calcium levels make strong, unbreakable shells. The better the feed, the better the eggs- and you will taste the difference.

LONGEVITY THROUGH PROPER NUTRITION

Every backyard chicken owner hopes for a long, productive life from their flock. Good nutrition is essential for achieving this goal. Hens that eat balanced diets typically live longer and healthier lives. Which means keeping the extras and treats to less than 10% per day. Or better yet, no extras at all.

Overindulgence in treats can affect health in the short term, leading to conditions that may cut their lives short. (Example: Fatty Liver Disease and Prolapsed Vent.) Well-fed hens that receive proper nutrition can provide eggs for many years. In fact, hens can lay eggs their entire lives, depending on their condition when they eat a balanced diet, but it will never be at the rate of their first two years.

VISABLE SIGNS OF POOR NUTRITION

The inability to regrow feathers, it is affected by diet.

Their feathers might start looking ragged and its not the right time of year for it to be a molting issue (molting generally starts anytime after June 21st, which is the longest day of the year, as the days shorten, the hormones responsible for molting are being triggered), improper diet can cause problems like aggression resulting in picking each other and of course a decline in egg production, but these are visible issues.

A chicken needs the proper amount of Amino Acids to be able to regrow feathers. Amino Acids are a form of protein, but they need them in the right balance to be able to use those Amino Acids properly.

How can I offer my hens more Amino Acids in their Diet?

Your local Poultry Feed Company will have Starter/Grower Feed available. It contains 21% protein (which has a higher amino acid content). Do not make this feed their regular chicken feed. Laying hens need the nutrients from their layer feed. Starter/Grower is a good choice when your laying hens need the extra protein for feather regrowth. Molting season is the perfect time to offer a Starter/Grower feed. Make sure you always have a side dish of oyster shell available for the hens that are still producing eggs.

NON-VISABLE SIGNS OF POOR NUTRITION

What about the health issues you can't see?

If nutrition balance is off, problems can start occurring long before they are noticed.

FARMERS- BACK IN THE DAY

For many years chickens had been kept as livestock, times have changed, people are enjoying keeping backyard chickens more as pets with a bonus of some fresh eggs.

Back when, chickens were kept on straw as that's what the farmers had on hand for their cattle, goats, horses, pigs, etc.

The chickens were not kept for extended periods of time, they were fed what was available which was kitchen scraps, vegetables from the garden and feed grains, the same as what the livestock were fed.

Grandma's chickens ate a self-prescribed diet of whatever they could find, exercised more and consumed fewer treats, if any. As much as we dote on our chickens, seek to keep them healthy and care for their medical needs, we are contributing to the premature demise of many or our pets by making them fat.

There was no such thing as poultry nutritionists or poultry scientists back then to make a nutritionally complete chicken feed with all that the laying hen would ever require to live long and be healthy, in a bag for our convenience.

Because of what was available, the chicken did not live long and either egg production suffered or because of lack of nutritional requirements became ill, they were then put on the table for that night's dinner.

We have evolved since then, the poultry nutritionists and poultry scientists do extensive studies on poultry nutrition making sure it is perfectly correct, we benefit from this because of the big commercial laying hen industries with their millions of dollars they have invested.

DID YOU KNOW CHICKENS ONLY HAVE 250 TASTE BUDS?

Chickens only have 250 taste buds and they do not have teeth to chew their food. They swallow their food whole. Chickens do not need flavor variety in their diet like we do. We have 9000 taste buds and we chew our food and mix it with saliva to perceive the flavors.

Don't let your chickens fool you. The chickens have trained you and you have trained them to recognize the bag or bucket of whatever treat it is you offer. You can fill that bucket with their nutritionally complete chicken feed, in that same bucket and they would be just as enthusiastic.

THE SHORT LIFE SPAN OF A CHICKEN IN COMPARISON TO HUMANS

We, as humans can get away with eating a "not so healthy Diet" and and it not be so detrimental for us because we live significantly longer than a chicken so we can straighten out our diet. Chickens as you know do not live as long as humans or cats and dogs. There lives are very condensed, which really impacts their health if there diet is not spot on.

MY PERSONAL JOURNEY AS A CHICKEN OWNER

Don't assume I didn't give all the treats and extras when I first started raising chickens, because I certainly did.

After my initial year of keeping chickens, their feathers appeared ragged, and their butts were bald. I didn't comprehend why they looked so poor at the time. I was active in Facebook chicken groups, attempting all the remedies and solutions everyone discussed for their chickens' health.

After conducting extensive research and watching "The Chicken Chick" live videos of her backyard flock, I noticed how well-feathered her chickens were, unlike mine, which looked quite rough. She discussed the importance of nutrition and mentioned that she only feeds her chickens chicken feed. Initially, I doubted this was the reason, as many people in Facebook groups talked about the treats they gave their chickens and how pampered they were.

I decided to try feeding my chickens only their chicken feed, thinking I had nothing to lose. At the very least, I would save money by not buying extra treats.

After a few weeks of this feeding regimen, I noticed my chickens' feathers were regrowing, and they had almost no health issues.

If my laying hens ever encounter health problems (which rarely happens), I'm assured that the cause isn't related to their nutrition. While free-ranging and consuming bugs and grass doesn't significantly affect their health due to the small quantities, I have control over their regular diet and what I feed them.

We personally feed our flock with Purina, which is produced by Land "O" Lakes.

Purina's dog and cat food is made by Nestle. These are two entirely separate companies.

We opt for Purina products because they are a well-established company that has been around much longer than some of these "Pop Up" companies. Purina provides access to poultry nutritionists for any inquiries. We trust that Purina offers our flock the best quality nutrition they need to thrive.

THE FINAL WORDS

If you want hens that live longer, lay better and stay healthier, skip the extras and trust a complete, nutritionally balanced layer feed. Its's not restrictive-it's responsible.

Your hens don't need table scraps or treats to feel loved-they need the right feed to feel their best.

We do not have veterinarians available so it's imperative we keep them healthy, especially they are our pets.

When you see a basket full of perfect, healthy eggs, you'll know it's worth it.

I have a video available from The Chicken Chick, hosting Dr. Patrick Biggs a Poultry Nutritionist from Purina Mills.

View Video Here

Additional information on the diet of chickens- A Great Article-

Chickens & Obesity, The Silent Killer | The Chicken Chick®