chickens need protein, mine get meat scraps and fermented oats and sunflower seeds in addition to organic crumble. and yes mites would cause them not to lay eggs, and mites are challening to completely remove. I keep diatomacious earth in their laying boxes with the straw, and put some in their crumble. I also mix it with the earth where they do their dirt baths. they free range on 1/3 acre (5 chickens).
mill scratch and cracked corn is non-nutritious feed, and they are not getting protein. I feed organic layer crumble, and soaked whole oats and black oil sunflower seeds (soaking activates nurients and expands the seeds, so you get more feed), and put minerals in their water. They also get meat scraps. I am surprised you are getting any eggs at all!I just read the above posts. I was given my hens (8 of them)- they are about 8 months old. As far as I know they had been laying regularly. I have had them for about 2 weeks. I feed them a feed mill scratch and I mix it with cracked corn. They are also free ranging all day. They return on their own to the coop several times a day. One hen is laying 1 egg once a day. At this rate I figure I will have to charge 250.00 a dozen when I finally accumulate 12 eggs!!
get oyster shells or dry and crush egg shells
yes we let her stay with the rest of the flock and no serious harm has come to her or her chicks so far. Thanx for the reply!
you can say that again! Michigan,(my hen with chicks) especially goes after Montana, an easter egger. They had always were fine together until Michigan turned broody.
