Features of choice, composition and price of compound feed for laying hens
For some novice poultry farmers, the price of compound feed for laying hens seems too high to use such a product on an ongoing basis. But as soon as they try to switch to a balanced feed, doubts disappear.
Modern compound feeds are not only more convenient in storage and distribution, they:
- help to save precious time of the poultry farmer;
- activate the growth of the bird;
- strengthen immunity and endurance;
- increase egg production,
- have a positive effect on the quality of eggs.
Due to the fact that the composition of the compound feed for laying hens includes almost everything necessary to maintain vital activity, the owner of the courtyard does not need to worry that the bird is deficient in protein, fats, vitamins or mineral salts. The main thing, including such food in the diet of the wards, is to know the exact dosage and skillfully adjust it depending on the age and period of life of the chickens.
Composition of compound feed for laying hens
Under the traditional feeding system, chickens on farms eat grain, receive herbal supplements, vegetables and all kinds of fruits. When free-range, layers can peck at insects, do not disdain lizards and frogs. Tracking the amount of food consumed in this case is very problematic. If the bird does not eat well, it is not necessary to expect good egg production and health from it. And with an unbalanced diet or the consumption of stale food, dangerous intestinal infections are not excluded.
In the compound feeds offered today for layers, all the taste and age preferences of the bird are taken into account, and the mixture itself is made on the basis of the same ingredients that the bird sees and eats in nature. Soybeans, corn and wheat, barley and peas are used from cereals. Irreplaceable components are sunflower cake, all kinds of meal, vegetable oils, mineral additives.
The components and their concentration in the recipe for compound feed for laying hens are selected so that the feed covers all the body's needs for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, macro- and microelements and most of the vitamins.
Consumption rates of compound feed for chickens and layers
In most cases, cereal mixtures, other dry and wet feeds for poultry are given "by eye" with the expectation that in 30-40 minutes the portion will be finished. But how in such a situation can you check if all the chickens are full? Did everyone get green food that replenishes the body with vitamins, fiber and mineral salts necessary for digestion? Did this or that hen manage to eat enough grain, or did she hesitate, and only bran and a shell remained in the feeder?
In the case of compound feed, it is much easier to control and adjust consumption, since one complete product contains all the substances necessary for poultry.
How much compound feed does a laying hen eat? The amount depends on the age and weight of the bird, as well as the season. On average, an adult chicken eats about 120 grams of complete feed.If the menu includes green food, hay or grain, the portion is reduced, monitoring the condition of the bird and its egg production.
It is very important not to let the chickens get hungry. But no less dangerous is overfeeding with compound feed for laying hens, the price of this is a decrease in the number of eggs and a deterioration in the well-being of feathered pets.
The needs of the body inevitably change with age, so for chickens and layers of compound feed are different in composition. The young are fed several times a day, but with the onset of the laying period, the chickens should receive food in the morning and evening.
What compound feed is best for laying hens?
Compound feeds are friable and granular. The latter stimulate digestion and are intended for actively moving chickens. Chickens and youngsters kept out of range are better served with looser mixes.
If the laying hens are fed only with dry food, it is extremely important to provide the birds with constant access to clean drinking water, otherwise even the highest quality and balanced composition will only cause indigestion and will not benefit the birds.
What compound feed for laying hens it's better? There is no unequivocal answer, since the choice largely depends on the taste of the poultry, and on the subjective preferences of the poultry farmer, and on the price of compound feed for laying hens.
Among the varieties popular among poultry farmers, you can find the PK-1 compound feed. This is a complete formula for laying hens, which includes everything to keep the hens feeling well, which can only be noticed by looking at the composition of the feed listed in the table and comparing it to another concentrated product.
It is not enough to ensure the maintenance of life in the bird, it is important to give it the proper amount of plant and animal proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, in addition to grains and herbs, yeast, bran, chalk, meat and bone meal or fish meal are included in compound feed for layers, which is especially important for egg-laying hens.
To compensate for the vitamin and mineral deficiency when using compound feed for layers, premixes are used, which have a beneficial effect on the immunity of the chicken, its condition and egg production.
DIY compound feed for laying hens
If the price of compound feed for laying hens seems too high to the poultry farmer, or in rural areas it is not possible to regularly replenish stocks, high-quality feed can be prepared at home. Here you do not have to worry about the composition and naturalness of all components, which means that the layers will receive decent nutrition and bring an environmentally friendly healthy egg.
Do-it-yourself compound feed for laying hens corresponding to the table below can be made in any farm equipped with the simplest equipment for grinding grain and grass, drying and mixing the resulting mass.
Herbs, foliage or tops are dried in the shade before preparing the feed and then thoroughly crushed. They also do with grain, which needs to be sieved by removing foreign inclusions. The dry components are mixed after grinding. Chalk, salt and other components present in the recipe are added to them. Loose compound feed can then be given to the bird, but for the preparation of granules, a thick dough is first mixed with a small amount of warm water, which is passed through an extruder and dried.
Whatever recipe for compound feed for laying hens the poultry farmer chooses, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the bird when switching to a new diet, and also adhere to the recommended consumption rates.
Only if these conditions are observed can one expect that the feed will bring maximum benefits and show all its advantages.
In the summertime, compound feed can be combined with the distribution of green grass, tops of garden crops, melons and other succulent feed available on the farm. Do not forget about the constant availability of clean water and gravel in the house. Their presence is mandatory with any method of feeding.