I have had 3 ameraucana pullets for about a 5 weeks now. This is my first experience with chickens. The first week, I got 3 eggs in 4 days from the same girl. She is the bottom of the pecking order and promptly began moulting during the first week. She still is, and I haven't had another egg since.
The first couple of weeks we kept them in their coop and the enclosed pen that is under their coop. We have an A-frame type structure. Every day they have fresh water and laying pellets and I supplement that with a small amount of scratch, crushed calcium shells, BOSS, and assorted fruits or veggie(they don't seem to like them much. They do eat grass and other weeds when they are in the pen. Today I decided to give them some cooked eggs to boost their protein. And I was going to try some plain yogurt this weekend. When we are home, we do let them out into our fenced back yard (about 1/3 acre) that they can forage around in.
My question is, do they need additional light in their coop? There is a little bit that comes from the pen below when the ramp is open (usually about 12 hours each day) and a small window in the coop that's 5x7. We also have air vents for more air exchange. Essentially, though, they are in the dark if they are closed in the coop. And even when the ramp is down and they can get into the pen, they tend to stay up in the coop most of the time. Could that be affecting their laying??
Thanks for any help you can offer. I love this forum! I am getting kind of addicted to reading it!
The first couple of weeks we kept them in their coop and the enclosed pen that is under their coop. We have an A-frame type structure. Every day they have fresh water and laying pellets and I supplement that with a small amount of scratch, crushed calcium shells, BOSS, and assorted fruits or veggie(they don't seem to like them much. They do eat grass and other weeds when they are in the pen. Today I decided to give them some cooked eggs to boost their protein. And I was going to try some plain yogurt this weekend. When we are home, we do let them out into our fenced back yard (about 1/3 acre) that they can forage around in.
My question is, do they need additional light in their coop? There is a little bit that comes from the pen below when the ramp is open (usually about 12 hours each day) and a small window in the coop that's 5x7. We also have air vents for more air exchange. Essentially, though, they are in the dark if they are closed in the coop. And even when the ramp is down and they can get into the pen, they tend to stay up in the coop most of the time. Could that be affecting their laying??
Thanks for any help you can offer. I love this forum! I am getting kind of addicted to reading it!