[carolbriar]

Thank you everyone for all your replies.  I went and bought a food made by Thompson feeds of Belfast which is easily bought from a local agri store.  It has 16.5% protein, 4% oil - can't remember the rest!  Anyway, the figures compared very favourably with the lists above.  I don't know if DARD approved means much but it says that in small print on the bottom of the label.  I gave a little bit to my hens just now and one of them thought it was brilliant.  I was also giving them their afternoon corn which of course took priority.  I will give it a try on the new food, which, incidentally, cost £8.00 for 25kg.  

It really has been very helpful having all the replies because it is not easy deciding what is a good food and what isn't.  As I mentioned before, living in Northern Ireland means we often don't get the choice.  A lot of the foods mentioned are not available here.  I also live 1 1/2 hours away from Belfast where there is probably a little more choice.  Anyway, I will see if the hens prefer this and also see how they get on with it. Thank you all.

[PaulineM]

Hi

I have fed mine on Thompsons as well, I think most people over here do. 

The only thing I found with Thompsons was it had a strong slightly unpleasant smell and it does contain GM ingredients.

I started with the smallholder then switched to Thompsons and then back to smallholder.
They seem to be the only 2 available around me.

I have been very lucky as my girls just eat whichever one I put down. 

[davidmw]

Does anyone know what golden yolk layer pellets are like and what ingrediants etc they contain.

[Bogof]

I get golden yolk from farmways at £7.50 for 25kg, my girls love it and my eggs are great.

[TeaPots]

I use Bearts, usually No.4 Which is a halfway compromise between layers and breeders pellets. Slightly highr protein than layers, but not as high as breeders, £7.50 a sack.