FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[CelticOaksFarm]

Do they have oyster shell available to them?
How long since the new birds joined the flock?

The heat can greatly effect laying as does molting. Check the temp in their coop, I know our girls slowed the last few days.

 

[welasharon]

Mine had layed off laying drastically and are molting now. Last week they started picking up again but we are back up at 100 so last couple days no so many eggs.

 

[carolsaucier]

It's been about 3 weeks since last 2 hens joined flock and when laying started going down. Their coop is open on bottom with window up high, but they spend only laying time in it during the day. They are feed a laying feed tht is suppose to have everything they need. I am beginning to doubt that, but can't convince DH he needs to buy the extra food. They don't appear to be molting, my original girls are 14 months old. Dimlet and Daisy age unknown (Shellie knows), Wobble, I think is about 6 months and Shimmer and Marmy about 5. None of them have started laying yet.

They have shade from the coop as well as a couple of other roofs. Tree died that was original shade. Lots off water and always available food source during the day. Hay is regularly changed in nest boxes and poop washed out of coop daily, so cleanliness is no the problem.

I wonder if all the playing the girls did with the flock has them too excited to lay. All 3 girls gone now, so chickens may be missing them as well. Maybe they will start laying more when it starts to cool off.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:
Wobble was hatched around March 17th so she is about 5.5 months old. I have 3/5 of her hatch mates that just started laying in the last couple of weeks. The other two haven't yet. I am not sure if my dad's 4 from that have all started laying or not. I am sure having the girls playing with them a lot is stressful. Can't the heat make them consume more water and make the egg composition odd as well?

Does everything else seem to be ok? Are they getting fruits, veggies etc? Maybe try giving them some ground egg shell in yogurt or something? I wish I knew more Carol but I'm still learning too..

 

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

Black Oil Sunflower seeds are supposed to help with egg production, as well! Try giving some of that- you can even buy the "wild red bird seed" at Publix (Publix Brand) & I think it's all BOSS. Pretty inexpensive.

 

[carolsaucier]

They get all non-meat table scraps except potatoes (not good for them), broccoli, onions and peppers which they hate. They also have access to wild bird seed that has millet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds among other goodies. They go thru approx 2 gals of water a day, plus whatever they find when foraging..... They immediately run for the cat dish when leaving the pen. Neighbor also feeds them lots of greens and breads.

I'm sure, girls, heat and flock changes all have affect on their egg laying, just odd that out of 11 hens I get 1 edible egg a day.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Flock structure, heat and little girls playing with them will throw them off. We use the rabbit feed bins and keep oyster shell in one and grit in another so they have free choice at it. Dimlet and Daisy were last fall babies so they will be 1 year in September. Watch the corn levels during hot weather. Corn is a filler food that creates heat in the body.

We also have cement mixing pans around for the ducks a geese, but the hens will get in them too on super hot days.

DE is dusted in the coop and run weekly, or when we will see more than 1 day of no rain. Need to worm everyone here, but putting it off till the temps drop some. No need to since we have new birds coming soon.

I have been freezing melon rind also which they love, and tossing out frozen peas. All get gobbled up quickly.

Hope your girls get back in the groove soon.

 

[julsmc]

Quote:
Thanks Heather, I would love to support a local source for Organic feed. I will contact malabar Feed

 

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

Carol, sounds like your birds have a better diet than most people do! LOL!

 

[Nava]

Just updated 12 pages and only 1 new member

still welcome to our home page CluckCluck18 from Largo