Chickens laying less in the winter.

[NickyPick]

It would be nice if you'd include how many hens you have when you "toss a handful of spinach: out a day. Do you have 3? 10? 50?

 

[Aapomp831]

I have mixed the shells directly into the food....kind of a mush, especially liked in the winter for 21 years and never had any troubles of any type I could discern. What is the concern of mixing the dried and pulverized shells into the feed, please?

Because the amount of calcium they get should be free choice. Chickens know when they need it and when they do not, and forcing them to eat it by mixing it with the food can have an adverse reaction to their health. Just make them a wet mash with their own food and put the oyster shell on the side.

 

[Serenityintheverse]

Too much spinach will inhibit Calcium absorption. Definite moderation here. Opt for other greens, Kale, Collards and the like

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

Instead of Spanish, give them Kale, Collard Greens, Swish Chard plant.
Collard green ranked number one in calcium concentration!

Mine won’t eat any of that. I wish they would!

 

[Vicker]

When my goose broke his wing, the vet cautioned against feeding too much spinach because the oxalic acid in it interferes with calcium absorption. This applies to chickens, as well. They should eat it only occasionally. Swiss chard, kale and beet greens are also high in oxalic acid.

 

[MIgardengal]

My gals are 20 weeks old I'm waiting and waiting and waiting ........no eggs yet

Give it time, my gals started between 23 and 28 weeks the first egg was so exciting!

 

[NaperLix]

Spinach everyday may cause kidney,and ureter damage.Blood that over-clots too.
Good chopped green leaf lettuce everyday makes mine lay in winter as well.
Mainly staying warm .-2 the other night,55 in coop with 4 cozy coop panel heaters.It will soon be -20 I'm sure a few times,they have all layed in January ,at least some.Many are acting hyper,so they'll resume laying,having got done molting.

 

[leslielbk]

What I've heard and what I know is that daylight is what they need more than anything. Now that we're down to shorter days I put a light in the coop that goes on at 8:30 and goes off at 9:30. Then I open the coop and they're outside where they can get plenty of sun. That helped a lot bringing them out of the moult along with extra protein.

 

[NaperLix]

Light works,ifall regard for the chickens health and well being is thrown aside.Forced light to lay is unnatural ,and ethically is not allowed everywhere in the world.

 

[writerskramp]

My girls are still laying a few eggs every day in spite of the short days of light. An `old timer` chicken farmer told me the best way to keep them laying is to feed them fresh spinach every day. We tried it and it works !!!! Simple.

Let nature take it's course.. Chickens only have so many eggs and you only so much money.