I have two 1 year old hens I got from a friend. Originally, I was feeding them Blue Seal Grower-Cal Mash, because I thought I was getting 8 week old chicks. They love the stuff, but I soon started having thin shelled and broken eggs from my NHR. My SS eggs were fine, in fact, very hard shells.
I posted on the BYC forum for advice, and started adding free choice oyster shells. They don't like it much, so I would sprinkle over the mash so they had to eat it. It seemed to work. When I got my EE chicks, I put the Grower-Cal away (to save for them as they grew) andI bought Blue Seal Layer Pellets, and switched the feed out. They don't really like the pellets. I still have problems with weak shelled eggs on occasion. They free-range almost all day, every day, with their food and water available at all times.
About 3-4 weeks ago, I added the now 10 week old chicks to the coop. They have their own mini-coop they can escape into. They loved the starter mash, and the hens would eat it too, if they could get to it. I just ran out about 4 days ago, and started them on the Grower-Cal. The problem is, the hens love this stuff, and eat a lot of it, ignoring the pellets. (I have their smaller feeder and waterer out in the main coop, near the hens food and water). Now I'm getting smashed eggs from the NHR, with paper thin shells.
I thought the oyster shell would help, but after reading the most recent posts on Purina feeds and the animal by-product issue, I checked the labels on the Blue Seal- and it doesn't appear there is any animal protein in it (unless that's what the methionine is). While all of my gals are growing and thriving, the NHR is having problems with her egg shells.
If I read the labels correctly, could the lack of animal protein be the culprit? I was about to go buy a bag of layer crumbles for the older gals, since they like the texture so much. But now I am stumped as to brand, etc. Any thoughts?
I posted on the BYC forum for advice, and started adding free choice oyster shells. They don't like it much, so I would sprinkle over the mash so they had to eat it. It seemed to work. When I got my EE chicks, I put the Grower-Cal away (to save for them as they grew) andI bought Blue Seal Layer Pellets, and switched the feed out. They don't really like the pellets. I still have problems with weak shelled eggs on occasion. They free-range almost all day, every day, with their food and water available at all times.
About 3-4 weeks ago, I added the now 10 week old chicks to the coop. They have their own mini-coop they can escape into. They loved the starter mash, and the hens would eat it too, if they could get to it. I just ran out about 4 days ago, and started them on the Grower-Cal. The problem is, the hens love this stuff, and eat a lot of it, ignoring the pellets. (I have their smaller feeder and waterer out in the main coop, near the hens food and water). Now I'm getting smashed eggs from the NHR, with paper thin shells.
I thought the oyster shell would help, but after reading the most recent posts on Purina feeds and the animal by-product issue, I checked the labels on the Blue Seal- and it doesn't appear there is any animal protein in it (unless that's what the methionine is). While all of my gals are growing and thriving, the NHR is having problems with her egg shells.
If I read the labels correctly, could the lack of animal protein be the culprit? I was about to go buy a bag of layer crumbles for the older gals, since they like the texture so much. But now I am stumped as to brand, etc. Any thoughts?
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