delete - nvm!

[tori729]

No offense, but the calcium in crushed up shells is way lower than that which is in oyster shell, and your high-protein feed is more than likely much lower in calcium. I know most are, including ours.

But, you are right in that it could be they are just too young to lay.

If she/they don't start laying in a couple of weeks, I would try calcium therapy with her. Get some calcium citrate +D around 300 mg. Give her one of those, right in her beak, once per day for around a week.

I can give oyster shell too, they prefer egg shells and we only do oyster shell if we run out of egg shells. They aren't going through them very quickly right now which makes sense b/c they aren't laying (we have one layer right now ha!).

They are 30 weeks now so I'm not sure what's going on. I've never had to supplement to get my chickens to lay and they've all started between 20 and 26ish weeks.

 

[Debbie292d]

I can give oyster shell too, they prefer egg shells and we only do oyster shell if we run out of egg shells. They aren't going through them very quickly right now which makes sense b/c they aren't laying (we have one layer right now ha!).

They are 30 weeks now so I'm not sure what's going on. I've never had to supplement to get my chickens to lay and they've all started between 20 and 26ish weeks.

They are getting to the age when my silkies start laying, sheesh!

So I googled and got this from AI: A Marans/Olive Egger chicken will typically start laying eggs between 24 and 30 weeks of age, which is about 5 to 7 months old. Factors like the number of daylight hours, diet, and individual bird genetics can influence this timeline, with some birds starting earlier and others later.

Since this is their first year, they should lay all winter, whenever they start.

 

[tori729]

They are getting to the age when my silkies start laying, sheesh!

So I googled and got this from AI: A Marans/Olive Egger chicken will typically start laying eggs between 24 and 30 weeks of age, which is about 5 to 7 months old. Factors like the number of daylight hours, diet, and individual bird genetics can influence this timeline, with some birds starting earlier and others later.

Yeah I'm not sure what's going on. They are large and fluffy with nice red well-developed combs. They are kind of skittish so I haven't noticed them squatting yet.
It's been colder here but both of my other chick flocks that I got later in the summer started laying no problem despite the cold.
Plus, there are other chickens who have been laying so it's not like they don't have influences lol. I've been just not worrying about it but at this point, I wonder if they are going to wait until the rest start up again, which defeated the purpose of getting them so early.

 

[Debbie292d]

Yeah I'm not sure what's going on. They are large and fluffy with nice red well-developed combs. They are kind of skittish so I haven't noticed them squatting yet.
It's been colder here but both of my other chick flocks that I got later in the summer started laying no problem despite the cold.
Plus, there are other chickens who have been laying so it's not like they don't have influences lol. I've been just not worrying about it but at this point, I wonder if they are going to wait until the rest start up again, which defeated the purpose of getting them so early.

Usually first-year layers lay all winter, then take winters off after that. These should lay for you all winter, if they'd ever start laying! Trust me, I know the anticipation as I have a silkie pullet I'm anxious to breed and she's 7 months old. The earliest these ever lay is 6 months, but most after 7-8 mos.

 

[tori729]

So back to the problem at hand.
I'm still dealing with this sour crop issue. I gave acv yesterday which she hated so I tried yogurt because that's more solid, mixed with water. Then lots of off and on massaging of crop.
No change today so I gave her yeast cream. She won't drink water which is worrisome. The only water she gets is mixed with yogurt and isn't much, like 3-5ml a day.
She was eating a bit but now she's not. She seems to want grit so I've been giving her the bigger and smaller sizes (I had some chick kind leftover). She sifts through the food to get to it.

But I'm worried she's going to die from lack of fluids but if she still has stuff in her crop is that sustaining her right now? When should I see an improvement with the yeast cream? I'm doing like a pea size 2-3 times a day.

 

[theoldchick]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/chicken-anatomy-crop-impacted-crop-sour/