Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

During the war and for a while afterwards my grandmother kept hens, and
from a very young age I 'helped' her with collecting eggs, preparing the
food, and feeding them.

I used to turn the mincer while she fed in oven-dried waste bread and
crumbs which the neighbours saved for her (in return for the chance to
buy fresh off-ration eggs).

The mash was made from cooked potato/vegetable peelings, dry breadcrumbs
and balancer meal, and IIRC, dried blood, though that might have been
for the garden. Can't remember.

I now have a better idea of what you are referring to.

There are two foods which are made to help balance the diet of laying
hens. One is layers mash (which is the one I think you are referring to)
and the other is layers pellets.

Mash is the one that can be mixed with potato peeling, etc. This has now
become almost unobtainable in my part of the country (West Wales) as
everyone seems to prefer pellets as they are easier to use.

At certain times of the year we do feed some mash (we have a friend who
mixes his own organic, non-GM mash) as we find it keeps the chickens in
better condition. We add the peelings, as well, as a treat.

--
Howard Neil