Comparison of 3 Nutrena Feeds

[thecatumbrella]

I'd suggest getting a different shape - flake instead of rock, if rock is what you have.

This would have been my suggestion as well. Mine love flake, hate rock. I get the Scratch & Peck brand, but I've seen one on Amazon that might be cheaper.

 

[BonnieBlue]

This would have been my suggestion as well. Mine love flake, hate rock. I get the Scratch & Peck brand, but I've seen one on Amazon that might be cheaper.

I got a small bag of flake (can't remember the brand) from Amazon to try. If they appear to like flake better, I will offer a feeder of each. At this point, I'll try anything to make sure they are getting what they need.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I got a small bag of flake (can't remember the brand) from Amazon to try. If they appear to like flake better, I will offer a feeder of each. At this point, I'll try anything to make sure they are getting what they need.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[BonnieBlue]

Let us know how it goes!

I will. Thanks!

 

[Susan Skylark]

Egg shell problems can be a genetic/individual issue as well, not just a calcium issue, it may just be her ‘thing’ and there isn’t a cure. Curiously enough I was feeding a layer feed to my quail but getting a couple soft shell eggs every couple days. I had to temporarily switch to an all flock as the store was out of my high protein layer pellets, so I got some oyster shell as well. A month later I’m not getting any more soft shell eggs. I did cull a couple older hens at the same time as well so I don’t know if it was those birds or the feed or both but for now I’m sticking with the all flock/calcium route as it is a little cheaper and what we feed our pheasants so it simplifies our feeding as well. Just watch your girl if you can’t fix her, she has a higher risk of salpingitis, egg peritonitis, etc.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Egg shell problems can be a genetic/individual issue as well, not just a calcium issue, it may just be her ‘thing’ and there isn’t a cure. Curiously enough I was feeding a layer feed to my quail but getting a couple soft shell eggs every couple days. I had to temporarily switch to an all flock as the store was out of my high protein layer pellets, so I got some oyster shell as well. A month later I’m not getting any more soft shell eggs. I did cull a couple older hens at the same time as well so I don’t know if it was those birds or the feed or both but for now I’m sticking with the all flock/calcium route as it is a little cheaper and what we feed our pheasants so it simplifies our feeding as well. Just watch your girl if you can’t fix her, she has a higher risk of salpingitis, egg peritonitis, etc.

I am going to monitor closely. She did this her first two springs and then cleared up. I'm hoping it's a seasonal thing and she gets past it again. She really is a good ruler of the roost. She is not witchy to the younger ones at all.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

And it’s important to remember that it’s not necessarily just a calcium issue.

Vitamin D is needed by the body to absorb and process dietary calcium. It’s always possible that an individual layer has a Vitamin D deficiency, or a problem absorbing and utilizing it. Meaning that the chicken might be taking in technically enough calcium, but can’t utilize it due to Vitamin D issues.

To me, this is the handy thing about using human calcium/Vit D supplements - you’re covering both bases.

@BonnieBlue, as best as I can tell, all my thin-shell and no-shell eggs have come from our older EE, with maybe one from the younger. Both are daily layers, and to my horror, as I worry about future reproductive tract issues. Creating and shelling an egg every single day requires an extra level of nutritional support. When mine have problems, 2-3 days of human calcium/D tablets seem to do the trick for many (more than 8) months. Maybe your hen just needs that extra bump on a more regular basis?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

- You know, I was looking at all my unread posts just now, and it’s amazing how many are talking about egg-laying problems.

I didn’t see nearly as many a month ago. It was more of a “Where the heck are all my eggs? When will they start laying again?!”

I wonder if what we’re now seeing in questions about egg-laying misfires is perhaps an indication of hens and pullets starting to lay again after their winter break, and experiencing many of the issues that brand-new layers go through.

Could the whole issue of getting back into the egg business after a low-light/ scheduled break be part of these new posts?

 

[BonnieBlue]

- You know, I was looking at all my unread posts just now, and it’s amazing how many are talking about egg-laying problems.

I didn’t see nearly as many a month ago. It was more of a “Where the heck are all my eggs? When will they start laying again?!”

I wonder if what we’re now seeing in questions about egg-laying misfires is perhaps an indication of hens and pullets starting to lay again after their winter break, and experiencing many of the issues that brand-new layers go through.

Could the whole issue of getting back into the egg business after a low-light/ scheduled break be part of these new posts?

I really hope with my older hen, that is it, even tho it is is more frequently than her first two years. I went through my journal, and when she did it last year, it was only a handful of times spread out March thru May, then did not happen again all year.

Without cameras in the coop yet, I don't know if the oops eggs are one little really needing to have her body figure out the whole egg thing (there was another this morning) or multiple.

Yesterday afternoon late, I mixed up some Duravet Layer Boost, which I started offering last year, and the two I had then would sip on it. I figured wouldn't hurt to give now until I get the manna pro. I put about a pint in a small waterer to offer separately and they drained it. I don't know if the taste, or their bodies were craving those extra vitamins.

 

[BonnieBlue]

And it’s important to remember that it’s not necessarily just a calcium issue.

Vitamin D is needed by the body to absorb and process dietary calcium. It’s always possible that an individual layer has a Vitamin D deficiency, or a problem absorbing and utilizing it. Meaning that the chicken might be taking in technically enough calcium, but can’t utilize it due to Vitamin D issues.

To me, this is the handy thing about using human calcium/Vit D supplements - you’re covering both bases.

@BonnieBlue, as best as I can tell, all my thin-shell and no-shell eggs have come from our older EE, with maybe one from the younger. Both are daily layers, and to my horror, as I worry about future reproductive tract issues. Creating and shelling an egg every single day requires an extra level of nutritional support. When mine have problems, 2-3 days of human calcium/D tablets seem to do the trick for many (more than 8) months. Maybe your hen just needs that extra bump on a more regular basis?

I may have to make her calcium supplements a regular thing.

I just mentioned in a reply that I gave them a layer viatmin supplement in water yesterday afternoon, and they drank all of it. I started offering it last year primarily as a vit d supplement to help them absorb calcium. The nutritional breakdown is below. I don't know if that is what helped my now 3 year old last year, or if hers was just seasonal. But if their bodies want the extra vitamins, they have it available.