Is it possible to feed the chickens too many vegetables?

[Zimmerman945]

I recently scored with a local supermarket. I found they put their not-so-perfect vegetable in trash bags and then throw them in the dumpster in the back. I have been dumpster diving and picking out the vegetable and giving it too the chickens. My concern is that the chickens may be eating too many vegetables instead of eating layer feed. My egg production has been a little off lately and I wonder if it may be due to changing their feed.

 

[draye]

I wouldn't think so. I feed mine vegetables about everyother day and they seem to lay better a day or two after they have eaten the veggies.

But you may try laying off a few of the veggies and se if they pic up laying.


Is it really hot where you are? If so, that may be the reason they aren't laying very good right now.

 

[Kikiriki]

You are checking for mold or rot, right? You'd probably do better to create a compost pile with the veggies: it is my girls favorite place to scratch for bugs! Also, are you washing them to remove pesticides/fungicides? And which vegies are they getting? Some are not good: potato skins, raw legumes, and some others have chemicals that inhibit the chicken intestine from absorbing nutrients.

They chickens will regulate their food to what they need, though, so they could be having some intestinal distress from the change in food, or it could just be the heat...

Best thing is to keep an eye on their poop, feed them in morning and late afternoon, and add electrolytes to water: a dash of baking soda is fine..you should not be able to taste it in the water.

Do they get out for yard forage at all?

 

[tadpole98]

They can never have too many veggies. Its much more better for them than the layer feed. They might not be laying as much because of the heat.

 

[Zimmerman945]

The vegetables are mostly lettuce however I have given them apples and radishes and various other plants. I've found they really go for the greens though. As for mold, etc., most of the stuff is the outer layer of cabbage/lettuce that has some brown spots or is just a little too old to be sold. The stuff is so fresh from the store that it still has ice chunks in the plastic bag.

I have two small compost boxes that the chickens leave alone for the most part. Instead, I sprinkle the yard with the greenery and they go nuts over it for two days or so until it turns brown/dehydrates.

The chickens have yard that they are free to roam around in and pick at bugs. They have torn up most of the yard and grass is there, but scarce.

As for the heat, I live near Los Angeles and we have had dry temperatures around 85-90 degrees lately. Definitely hot, but not excessive, given that the chickens have plenty of shade.

 

[marianne7]

Best thing to do, is give them the veggies in the afternoon, and then you can be sure they are eating layers mash, as well as the veggies, thats what our chicken breeder told us....we have had chucks for a while now and its worked quire well.....

 

[7L Farm]

Too many veggies! Nope. Mine eat veggies all year long.