Amber jones from rockwell nc

[Jonesepoo]

hello yall im new to the site how do I post questions so I can hear everones thoughts.... a little about my hens. I got 6 ladys I got them on easter for my two girls chloe and bella... I got my hens on easter from lowes not too sure how old they are now but I know there coming on a year... I just noticed my hen layed a egg today and the other hen came behind her and pecked at it and if fell off the coup and broke and they all flocked over to it and started eating it....I use to give them oyster shells and I stopped and now there just eating pellets and hey act like there starving... I give them a whole ice cream bucket full of pellets... should I start giving them oyster shells again...

 

[drumstick diva]

Egg eating is a terrible habit for them to get into and very hard to break. Layers should have an extra bowl with oyster shell for calcium, they will eat it if they feel the need. Try to pick up eggs frequently so the hens don't get in the habit of eating them.

 

[TwoCrows]

Nip that egg eating quick or you will never stop them. Make sure the nest boxes have a lip on them so the eggs can't roll out. Use curtains on your nest boxes to keep it dark. The chickens are less likely to mess with eggs in the darkened boxes. Hang a cloth over the front of the boxes and cut the material in slits from the bottom up to the top, so the birds can peek in and climb inside. You can cut one strip out completely if you wish for better access for the hens. And remove the eggs as so as possible so they don't have time to get broken. Also using fake eggs that stay in the boxes make the real eggs less interesting to mess with.

Good luck and enjoy BYC!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X3 on the have oyster shell available all the time, there is a good article in the BYC Learning Center on stopping egg eaters. Also, most commercial Layer feeds say to feed laying hens free choice... while chickens often act like they are starving if you offer them treats or something new, double check how much you are actually feeding the birds (and that nothing else is eating the food), the general rule of thumb seems to be that the average Layer needs about 4 oz a day, but they will need more if it is cold or if you have large birds etc.

 

[roostersandhens]

 

[Jonesepoo]

How long do hens lay eggs... thanks for the info up top. We are in the process of rebuilding our coup. .. I have pic on my facebook and twitter account. ..
www.facebook.com / jonesepoo

 

[gander007]

 

[Peep-Chicken]