Chickens wont eat

[sformel]

Every year, when I return to my summer digs, I rent young hens that are just starting to lay. This year the farmer from whom I rent had just gotten his new hens in the day before from the young hen raising factory, where ever that is. When I picked them up they were in the coop he had put them in the day before. I'm guessing that where ever they came from they had also been in a restricted place. Perhaps had never been outside. These are the same breed that I get every year- Golden Comets. Great layers. I have a moveable coop inside of a large run- last year's garden. The best summer camp that chickens have ever had. I put them in the run, and they just stand around looking stupid. They don't eat the feed that I scatter on the ground (my normal way of feeding), and they do not scratch the dirt. When I scatter the feed, they peck at it once or twice and turn away. They do kind of peck at the weeds a little bit. They do drink the water. They've laid just a few a few eggs in the dirt under the coop. I put the eggs into their nesting boxes to give them the idea of where to lay, and this morning i found that they have eaten the eggs. Don't eat, don't scratch. Been a week now. Any thoughts?

 

[azygous]

"Renting" chickens? That's a new on on me. Where you live, this is a custom?

Chickens require a period of adjustment before they feel safe and secure in their new surroundings. They usually hang back until they are satisfied they are safe from being eaten by predators.

Food is another thing. Is the feed fresh, not moldy? Eating eggs is a pathology that can be an individual thing. If you can identify the egg eater, you might consider asking the owner to take her back and replace her with another.

 

[3KillerBs]

If they were raised strictly indoors with feed in feeders they may not realize that food on the ground is food and not just bedding.

Try to find out what kind of feeder they're used to and give them food in that kind of container.

Put golfballs into the nest instead of real eggs. They can't eat golfballs.

 

[Banana01]

Eatong eggs is a sign they are famished and dont know any better. Can you offer alternate feed options?

 

[aart]

Ask your supplier what they usually eat and out of what.

 

[sformel]

No, renting hens is not something that is done in my area. As far as I know, I've invented the concept. Because I'm retired now, and I spend my winters in warmer climes, I'm only at my old farm in the summers. If I were to get chicks, they would not be laying by the time I leave in the Fall. Hence the hen renting idea. Pretty good idea for summer residents.
The chickens have gotten the idea that the feed I scatter on the ground is feed. I knew they would not starve. The only real problem is the the hens were not scratching up the dirt in their run. Every summer I flip-flop the chicken run with the garden. The hens serve 2 purposes- to lay eggs for my egg stand, and to prepare next year's garden plot by scratching the chicken run completely bare of all weeds and grass, fertilizing it with good chicken poop, and turning everything that I throw into the chicken run into compost. After 2 weeks of the chickens standing around looking stupid, I tilled the run again. This fresh turning of the earth seems to have given the chickens the idea that there are tasty morsels in the dirt- all you have to do is scratch.

 

[azygous]

I can just picture you out there trying to motivate those dead beats.

I think renting chickens could have a growing appeal.

 

[sformel]

Imagine all the city folk who move to the country for the summer. They could rent mature egg layers, have fresh eggs every day, and pretend they are farmers. Actually, I guess they would be farmers. Sort of. In a small way. Then return the hens at the end of the summer. No muss, no fuss.

 

[aart]

No, renting hens is not something that is done in my area.

Where are you located, in summer?

 

[sformel]

Upstate New York. Columbia County.