Chickens not laying isn't starving. Chickens have an unusual reproductive cycle. They are originally from a part of Asia that had a very cyclical boom-and-bust insect cycle. So, chickens were designed (evolution is bullshit) to conserve energy until the food population (worms and insects) exploded, and then to reproduce like crazy. When chickens have a high calorie, high protein diet, they are genetically programmed to reproduce like crazy. That's why if you keep feeding chickens, they will keep laying eggs, daily. On the other hand, if you turn the protein down, their body reads that as "bust cycle" and turns their metabolism down and shuts down the reproduction. They aren't starving, they are just in Power Save mode. As soon as you return the protein, they will start laying again.
Thanks for the essay Doc
They would need tons of available energy sources to maintain their own little bird health and produce eggs, correct? I never thought of that...so what about feeding them like mealworms or actually raising earthworms as food for chickens?
Mealworms and earthworms work. The chicken tractors that Polyface Farm popularized are fantastic for feeding chickens this high calorie high proteins diet just from the ground. https://thisbeautifulfarmlife.com/how-to-build-a-simple-chicken-tractor/ It doesn't have to be hard, though, these little dinosaurs will eat damn near ANYTHING. People are getting good results just mixing raw hamburger into the feed. Chickens love it.
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