Cayenne Pepper It Really Gets Those Hens Laying

[RobG7aChattTN]

Have to say I hate the idea of systemic insecticides for chickens...that will wind up in my eggs most likely. And, it can't be good for the chickens. I am very protective of their immune systems...don't want them sick.

Good question tho, is there a spray that will keep chickens off, preferably a natural one? I rather doubt it...

I just blocked them out of my garden. In the winter they are allowed in. It is all a matter of proper husbandry IMHO.

My thinking is that they wouldn't even eat it. Of course you wouldn't want the chickens dining on it but you'd think it would be too terrible tasting for them to choose it over grass.

 

[mobius]

seriously doubt this thinking....

 

[tfalls3]

Have to say I hate the idea of systemic insecticides for chickens...that will wind up in my eggs most likely. And, it can't be good for the chickens. I am very protective of their immune systems...don't want them sick.

Good question tho, is there a spray that will keep chickens off, preferably a natural one? I rather doubt it...

I just blocked them out of my garden. In the winter they are allowed in. It is all a matter of proper husbandry IMHO.

I would love to block them out but the poor plants are on either side of my back door, and when I tried it wouldn't allow the door to open or close all the way cause it swings outward. The spray bottle is working for 3 out of the 4 but I have a very stubborn hen who has taken to charging me when she sees it.

 

[mobius]

I would love to block them out but the poor plants are on either side of my back door, and when I tried it wouldn't allow the door to open or close all the way cause it swings outward. The spray bottle is working for 3 out of the 4 but I have a very stubborn hen who has taken to charging me when she sees it.

Lol that is a lot of work with the spray bottle! I think I will post a thread on this question re: natural deterrents, although I suspect there are not many...some wise soul may have an answer. Meanwhile, deer netting or standalone garden fencing pieces might work...the way I block them currently is several dog X-pens a kind soul gave me lined up and hooked together as a kind of fence along one side of the yard...keeps them out of my garden and in their own little pasture...and keeps my decks clean lol! they are tenacious little beasties for sure!

 

[KaytaComyn]

I have my vegie garden in the middle of the chook's yard. It's a raised garden in a U shape with wire fencing around the outside and a gate at the open in the U. Without this, the chooks would decimate it. They've eaten the rest of the yard bare, down to dust, but I've managed to get some hardy plants to grow by putting a wire cage over the plant itself. The chooks eat the leaves that poke out, but can't reach them all and kill the plant and also can't scratch up the roots. I'm gradually adding more plants and found that cheap wire fruit bowls from discount stores are the cheapest and best plant protectors.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Does any one know how much pepper to use or is it a total guys thought now? Tbs per 1lb of food or 2tbs or tps. My hens live the pepper plans that I have they pick at the Bush and peppers.I have some peppers but not cayenne peppers.Will those work.?

All I do is sprinkle it in their food and water once every two to three days. I did this last winter and got an extreme egg production boost with strong shells.

 

[SunriseChickers]

My girls are almost to laying age. I might try it!

 

[MysteryChicken]

My girls are almost to laying age. I might try it!

Okay.

 

[Mosey2003]

I realize this is an old thread that has been bumped back up, and I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but the common thinking as to why red pepper flakes or cayenne powder increases egg laying is because it's very high in Vitamin A. So, if your birds aren't getting enough, supplementing it can help them to lay more. However, if they're already getting all they need and are laying as well as they can, it's not going to do much. Our Rural King often has decent sized containers of spices in a $1 bin and there is often red pepper flake in there, so it can be a cheap way to add some Vitamin A "just in case."

 

[CasaRosie]

I came to this thread because I recalled Laura Ingalls Wilder writing about using a "well peppered mash" to keep hens laying through the winter.
Since she lived in South Dakota before the advent of electric lights, I was thinking that there must be something to this, because lower income folks wouldn't waste money on something that doesn't work.
So then I thought, "What type of pepper do they mean? Is she referring to a bran mash?" Sadly LIW passed before I was born, so I can't ask her, but thankfully, there are these forums still hanging around even 10 years later to answer newbie questions.
So for the record, my girls have only been laying for a couple of months, and production has slowed in the last week. I'm worried, because I do want to have an egg or two per day from my 9 hens through the winter.
Since in live in SEAZ (South-east AZ) at 4500ft, it hasn't gotten too cold yet, but nights are getting brisk.
So I'll be feeding my girls some crumbles with added cayenne and a bit of black pepper to see if there is any improvement. I can't afford to buy/use lights on timers, etc. So we'll just have to see if my girls keep producing during the winters.
Cautionary note: use a mask whilst mixing black pepper unless you want to sneeze your behind off! (Don't ask me how I know, )