- Nov 14, 2014
- 50
- 10
- 116
Hello -
We have a flock of 15 hens and 1 rooster. No change in feed, typical summer weather, no nests to be found in the woods. We had all 5 Columbian Wyandottes go broody in the last month plus one easter egger. The easter egger sat and hatched 2 eggs. We broke the Columbians of broodiness but that was a long, difficult task, more intensive than usual - usually 1-2 days in the wire dog crate on the cement floor used to do it - not this time. Anyhow, now we are only averaging 5 eggs per day. I understand none of the Columbians will lay for a while due to having been broody, the hen who hatched the eggs won't lay for a while, but what's up with rest of them? Most of our easter/olive Eggers are laying regularly (5 easter/olive Eggers). Only 1 silver laced Wyandotte (unknown which) is laying (have 5). No supplemental light in the winter. MAYBE 1-2 birds are molting but most molted over the WINTER - goofy birds. We did battle coccidia early this spring.
They get Kent Extra Egg Layer Crumbles - 16.0% protein
Intermittently Free Range (aka if we are home they all go out - we are often home most of the day)
Night snack to put them back in the coop/run of scratch (generic mix)
Occasional dried meal worms or whatever weird dried snack the kids and I pick up from TSC
Coop is pretty solid - predator issues unlikely but anything is possible
Do have a new adult flock of guineas (8) in a separate coop/run learning their new home.
Do have 6 guineas ((1m/5 f)(the columbians and silver laced were all raised with the guineas from day 1 (all were chicks together)) who share the coop/run but the guineas always go out during the day (unless there's terrible weather)
We have a flock of 15 hens and 1 rooster. No change in feed, typical summer weather, no nests to be found in the woods. We had all 5 Columbian Wyandottes go broody in the last month plus one easter egger. The easter egger sat and hatched 2 eggs. We broke the Columbians of broodiness but that was a long, difficult task, more intensive than usual - usually 1-2 days in the wire dog crate on the cement floor used to do it - not this time. Anyhow, now we are only averaging 5 eggs per day. I understand none of the Columbians will lay for a while due to having been broody, the hen who hatched the eggs won't lay for a while, but what's up with rest of them? Most of our easter/olive Eggers are laying regularly (5 easter/olive Eggers). Only 1 silver laced Wyandotte (unknown which) is laying (have 5). No supplemental light in the winter. MAYBE 1-2 birds are molting but most molted over the WINTER - goofy birds. We did battle coccidia early this spring.
They get Kent Extra Egg Layer Crumbles - 16.0% protein
Intermittently Free Range (aka if we are home they all go out - we are often home most of the day)
Night snack to put them back in the coop/run of scratch (generic mix)
Occasional dried meal worms or whatever weird dried snack the kids and I pick up from TSC
Coop is pretty solid - predator issues unlikely but anything is possible
Do have a new adult flock of guineas (8) in a separate coop/run learning their new home.
Do have 6 guineas ((1m/5 f)(the columbians and silver laced were all raised with the guineas from day 1 (all were chicks together)) who share the coop/run but the guineas always go out during the day (unless there's terrible weather)
