My neighbor's Rhode Island Red just started laying again after a full molt and it made me rethink my feed.

I always switched to a cheap layer pellet when they stopped, but she said she kept hers on the high-protein grower feed for the extra 8 weeks. Has anyone else tried that and seen better feather regrowth?

2 comments

2 Comments

felix_jones11d ago

My flock of six Barred Rocks just finished their molt last month. I kept them on the 20% protein grower feed for an extra six weeks like your neighbor did, and the new feathers came in so much thicker and shinier. I used to switch them right away too, but the feathers looked ratty. Now I won't go back to the cheap stuff during a molt, the difference is huge. Their eggshells even seem stronger now that they're laying again.

scott.mia11d ago

Honestly, that makes so much sense. I feel a bit silly for never connecting those dots before, like I was giving them cheap gas and expecting a sports car performance. I just switched my girls back to layer feed the second I saw a new feather, worried about too much protein. Guess I was worrying about the wrong thing. Going to try the grower feed trick next molt for sure.