27 Mar What is Laying Mash?

You may have seen that Thompson & Redwood has recently improved the recipe for our Laying Mash. But what exactly is a laying mash and why would you choose it over another formulated chicken feed?

What’s in Laying Mash?

Laying mash is a balanced, complete chicken feed that contains an assortment of cracked grains and seeds that have been cleaned and further processed in our mill — this ensures there are no impurities or other unwanted ingredients. Laying Mash should include the correct amount of protein, calcium and nutrients to support the nutritional requirements of all chickens.

Thompson & Redwood’s Laying Mash contains carefully selected grains, seeds and meat meal for protein. In addition to the 16% protein content, it also contains increased calcium and phosphorus for strong eggshells.

Having an assortment of gristed grains in the Thompson & Redwood formula, means all chickens, no matter what size or breed, are able to scratch and forage as nature intended. Chickens are adept at selecting the ingredients they need the most.

Our Laying Mash contains Canola oil, an important source of energy which assists the vitamin and mineral premix to bind to the grains.

We’re also lucky that all our feeds are made from quality Western Australian produce, so you’re always getting a freshly made and healthy product for your poultry.

What kind of diet do laying hens need?

Diet plays a huge role in helping hens to reach their laying potential. The first priority is for the hen to satisfy her own protein requirements for maintenance and body building.  Nutritional deficiencies can cause chooks to slow down their egg production or even to stop laying completely.

Laying hens require added calcium, high protein and extra minerals to lay eggs. This is based on years of dietary studies that show that the feed you give your chickens can have a significant impact on the number of eggs they lay, as well as egg size.

Hens also love kitchen scraps, bugs and garden greens. Supplementing your chicken’s commercial feed with up to 25% scraps and allowing your hen to forage will result in happy, healthy birds.

Should I choose a laying mash, crumble or pellet?

Any complete laying formulation should be high in protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals for laying birds. The T&R poultry range covers this and includes Laying Mash, Laying Crumble, Laying Pellets and Poultry Mix.

Your choice can be made based on cost, the environment your hens are kept in, convenience for you and the number of chickens you have.  You’ll find our Laying Mash is excellent value for money and will be well received by your hens. Just remember, as with any chook food, always introduce feed slowly to keep egg production consistent.