I am really frustrated with my layers! They will not forage! I have them in a 1 acre+ fenced in area with tons of forage area and places to explore, and still, after 1 month or more there, they stand all day at the gate, waiting for me and/or getting out of the fence to forage on the other side! Then they are crossing the road, getting hit, etc. We've even tried putting their food way way on the far end of the pen area, but they eat and then run to the gait again. I don't get it!!!!! Is there any hope for these dum-dumbs? We have spent so much time moving coops, changing fences, putting in more permanent, larger ones all for them but do they care? No. They just want to be on the other side. Maybe i should just stop feeding them???? Also, I have about 4-5 layers that still can't figure out how to lay eggs in their nest boxes, and thus get their eggs eaten each day. We can't figure out who is doing this, (because i think it's more than 1), and we can't get them to lay in the boxes. We've even lowered the boxes for them. I thought keeping chickens would be easy!!!
Maybee bugs dont like the grass where the chickens are?? or the grass is not the kind chickens prefer? or the worms arent in the soil?? i have no idea!!!. ive never had a problem with chickens not wanting to forage. I go around flipping sheet metal and boards over around my property and all the chickens follow me to eat the goods they find under them!! Worms, crickets,frogs,or grubs. and they spend hours chasing grasshoppers. Are these bugs present in the area you have fenced off? On the eggs in the nest boxes thing. Do the golfball trick on them, put them in the nest box with the golf ball severl times a day.if that dont work then they might not like the nest boxes you have? Mine love milk crates.with hay in them. i have them bailing wired to the sheet metal on my barn.
Thanks for the reply. The only difference between the area they are in and outside the area is the fence!! I guess the grass is always greener.... And i did finally catch an egg eater in the act!!! I separated it and this morning the dummy ate her own egg! Now what!?!
Quote:Chicken soup is the cure for that thief..Pretty hard to break them of the habit from what I hear.
i had one that was a egg eater.... ... no i didnt eat her... got rid of her.. i cant eat my chickens :| thats weird..