"Burning the Moult" Questions ????

[foreverblessed]

I was reading a My Page for one of the BYC members and came across something I had never heard of ... "Burning the Moult". I copied and pasted the info here:

" When your spring hens start to moult, and egg production goes down, heres what ya do. Get a 5 gallon bucket of whole corn. Put in ONE large can of Cayenne pepper...and add warm water...just to the top of the corn. Let it set over night..to "pop" the corn open. Feed this to your hens, and they will start laying in a few days. Its called " Burning the moult"

Has anyone done this????

Did it work???

My egg production is not what it was and my girls are going thru what I believe is their first moult, but not 100% sure.

I am considering doing this ... burning the moult trick but hadnt heard it mentioned here before and I am reading alot here.

Any other tips or comments on method .... WELCOMED!

Thanks! ~ Laura

 

[MissPrissy]

I have heard of this from some old farmer.

I have never tried it for a few of my own reasons.

- It is a natural cycle for the egg laying to stop. The bodies rejuvenate and get themselves geared up for the egg laying that comes late winter and spring. It is unhealthy for the hens not to have some down time.

- It is too much like commercial processors that demand eggs year round from hens and once they are spent the hens have no real use. The hens NEED the down time. i would rather have 2 - 3 months of down time than to feed out a hen (spending money!) and have her burn out after a year of two of production.

- Many of my birds are breeders. I want the very best eggs they produce. Forced eggs laying might raise the number of eggs I get but it doesn't raise the quality.

It is up to you but my moral decision raising chickens won't let me do it.

 

[the simple life]

I have heard this as well, there is a thread on here somewhere, just recently in fact that talked about this.
People say it really works and that the chickens can't taste the hot pepper so its not mean to feed it to them.

 

[DLS]

I mix cyanne pepper flakes with wetted laying pellets 2 times a week. It DOES make a differance and I read that it makes them worm free also but I anm not shure about that.

 

[foreverblessed]

Thanks Miss Prissy!

LOL! We all need our down time dont we???

AND I do want 9 happy & health girls

I didnt need much to decide NOT to try this.


Thanks again! ~ Laura

 

[the simple life]

Quote:
Really good points Miss. Prissy, I had just read this the other day and until this question came up again I hadn't given it anymore thought.
I don't feel the need to get them to lay all the eggs that I can get from, for us they are pets and the eggs are a benefit.
I also made no plans for artificial light in the coops this winter because I figured it was the same type of thing.
It could be entirely different but since I have been doing the all natural thing so far I figured I would just let nature take its course and follow the natural progression of things.
Not sure if thats even the way to go either and I am open to suggestions but it just felt like I was controlling their natural order of things.
Correct me if I am wrong though.

 

[Wynette]

I have one word for you, MissP: AMEN!

 

[SGM]

As demanding for eggs as I am right now I know that they must care for themselves first or you will have an unhappy, unhealthy bird later and I want happy healthy birds first. I love my chickens and being around them. I love the eggs too but no chicken, no egg.

 

[Katy]

I agree...as much as I'd like to get eggs from them all year and skip the molt and short winter days, I know it's best for them in the long run to let them have their natural vacation.