DaveMK
Chirping
Hello, This is my first post here.
We’ve had our first pair of back yard chickens for almost a month now (bought on the 12th of Nov), and have still not had a single egg.
Firstly, I’ve already read this sticky, but am still not sure whether or not I’m set up right.
I just want to explain what we’re doing, so that any errors can be pointed out, or if the lack of eggs is due to the time of year.
We’re based in the UK, Milton Keynes.
Temps for the coming week range from 6c to -5c.
Sunrise around 8AM, sunset around 4PM.
We bought a Sussex Rock, and a Columbian Hen.
Both are supposed to lay around 300 eggs per year.
They were about 21 weeks when purchased.
Not de wormed, but we have de-wormed with a natural option.
They are in a small run measuring 60W x 60H x 200L CM, with 6 inches of deep woodchip bedding.
They have a coup above, which is accessed via a ladder, into an attic type opening.
In the coup, they have a roost, plenty of ventilation, and a nest with rollaway function.
I’ve followed advise to put a fake egg in the nest.
In the run, they have access to a dust bath with sand and DE, a grit tray, and egg shells for calcium.
There are 2 nipple waterers, and rodent free peck type feeder above, in which they must peck for their feed to fall down.
The feeder contains layers pellets, which I was told contained a single solution for everything a layer requires.
I throw a handful of weeds / green in each day, and give them treats such as mealworm, crickets, BSFL every weekend.
I read today, that on top of the layers pellets, the hens should also be fed corn close to the end of the day, to boost their diet, and to warm them up before bed in the colder months.
Should I be feeding corn as suggested?
Am I doing anything wrong, or is it normal that I wouldn’t have had a single egg yet due to buying the birds at this time of year.
Thank you
Dave
We’ve had our first pair of back yard chickens for almost a month now (bought on the 12th of Nov), and have still not had a single egg.
Firstly, I’ve already read this sticky, but am still not sure whether or not I’m set up right.
I just want to explain what we’re doing, so that any errors can be pointed out, or if the lack of eggs is due to the time of year.
We’re based in the UK, Milton Keynes.
Temps for the coming week range from 6c to -5c.
Sunrise around 8AM, sunset around 4PM.
We bought a Sussex Rock, and a Columbian Hen.
Both are supposed to lay around 300 eggs per year.
They were about 21 weeks when purchased.
Not de wormed, but we have de-wormed with a natural option.
They are in a small run measuring 60W x 60H x 200L CM, with 6 inches of deep woodchip bedding.
They have a coup above, which is accessed via a ladder, into an attic type opening.
In the coup, they have a roost, plenty of ventilation, and a nest with rollaway function.
I’ve followed advise to put a fake egg in the nest.
In the run, they have access to a dust bath with sand and DE, a grit tray, and egg shells for calcium.
There are 2 nipple waterers, and rodent free peck type feeder above, in which they must peck for their feed to fall down.
The feeder contains layers pellets, which I was told contained a single solution for everything a layer requires.
I throw a handful of weeds / green in each day, and give them treats such as mealworm, crickets, BSFL every weekend.
I read today, that on top of the layers pellets, the hens should also be fed corn close to the end of the day, to boost their diet, and to warm them up before bed in the colder months.
Should I be feeding corn as suggested?
Am I doing anything wrong, or is it normal that I wouldn’t have had a single egg yet due to buying the birds at this time of year.
Thank you
Dave
also you may want to give your ladies a bowl of soaked food every so often, they will love it.
