First-time chicken keeper with 4 Delawares in South Bend Washington.

[southbend chick]

Welcome to BYC. You might want to reduce the treats to 10% or less of diet.

Thanks. I'll try reducing those treats. Would there be any relationship in a protein/calcium ratio for shell formation?

 

[southbend chick]

Welcome to BYC!

It's quite common for first season layer to lay through the winter. Don't expect the same thing next year.. as the second year and every year thereafter most birds will molt out at least some if not all of their old feathers ro be replaced with new ones. This takes a ton of energy and is when most chickens will take a break from laying.. usually returning to lay after daylight is increasing again.

Also please note that laying hormone is effected by light transmission not temperature. Some folks use artificial lighting to prolong their laying season.

A decent article of things that happen with eggs (including shell-less)and POSSIBLE causes..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Excellent article, Thanks. Toxins - Paint chips.

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Where are they getting the paint chips?

Our 1901 house badly needs repainting; old paint is flaking off. Plus other wood doors, posts etc. have loose paint. Edith is the worst. She also likes plastic (buckets, plant labels). I have them out for a couple of hours each afternoon to roam our property (part forest, lawn, shrubbery, gravel parking lot, flower beds, stored machinery) Use a squirt bottle of water to shoo them away from inedibles. They love to forage so. I wish I had a 5-acre pasture for them. We're in a small town 100'x100' lot. We're repainting but it takes time. I've blocked off access to the sides of the house with tarps. The egg article mentions a lack of certain vitamins. Isn't Layena supposed to be a full nutrition source?

 

[southbend chick]

Hello
Welcome to BYC!

Hi! Good to hear from you. Looking forward to chookie news!

 

[southbend chick]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

Hi back to you- thanks for the shout out!

 

[Sammi_0411]

Hi from the UK ! Welcome to BYC xx