[jimroden]

I have a couple of questions..... The first one is why don't my chooks eat corn/maze. I have also been told that it is pointless giving them layers mash as with them only now being 18weeks and with the dark night's coming it is not likely that they are going to lay any time soon. I was told just to give the wheat or barley over the winter.. The other question is what supliments do they need as they are going through a moult.

Jim

[Vember]

Hi Jim

Is it a basic mixed corn feed your giving??
Most people here suggest using layers pellets rather than mash, it's less messy apparently :? I have never used mash so don't know.
I give mine layers pellets all year long you might still get an odd egg through out winter, i do off my light sussex
As for suppliments if you have a cat, cat food is good during moult gives them extra protein or you could get them some poultry spice
Found this on the omlet site
http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Chicken%20Extras&sub=health&product_id=128&gclid=CPvd2dXCp5YCFQ2Y1QodIjbuyg

You can get it from other places too

Hope that's of some help :?

Sarah

[Foxy]

Hi Jim!
My thoughts are -I am sure others will be along soon too!
keep going with the layers mash as their main diet as it is well balanced nutritionally and not just for laying hens. The corn you have been feeding is it sort of crushed? whole corn they dont seem to like, so I buy poultry mixed corn from feed stores. Now I like to give mixed corn late in the afternoon in te winter a small handful per bird as it helps keep the bird warm. However too much and they will get fat and will stop laying anyhow and not good as fat young hens as prone to laying problems.So layers mash or pellets will be fine as main food for your young hens whether laying or not. If they are moulting (a bit unusual if it is their first autumn) you could add a little "poultry boost" multivits. I think Auntie feeds a little tuna too, speck she will be along too confirm as I might have misremembered.

[chickenlady]

a work collegue got her 4 chooks last year and they were pol end of october that year, they laid consistantly all winter so wouldn't assume thay wont start laying??? I need to keep telling myself this too as my little girls are 5 months old today only one is squatting and going in and out of the coop!!!!

[Foxy]

sorry vember! missed your post there

[richyrich7]

Hi Jim what breed are they ? a lot of young hens will lay straight through their first winter, mine always have. It's the second autumn you loose on egg production. They seem pretty young to be moulting so perhaps it's only a partial moult.
I don't know why they won't eat the corn perhaps they have not been used to it at the breeders ?

Like Vember and Foxy have said layers can be fed all year round it's a complete food.

[Bodger]

Chickens that are coming up to being POL will lay you winter eggs, they wont be able to help themselves. You'll get more eggs from them if you use lights, but you'll still get eggs. I use layers pellets which basically has the same ingredients as the layers mash.