Food not being eaten!

[iliamna]

The chickens are not eating the Purina pellets or crumbles very well. I have mixed them with oyster shell, which they really dislike, and a grit and I have tried different grains. I give them hen scratch separately in their yard which they eat and they have a Flock Block. However, the egg shell are often not formed or they are very thin. Does anyone have any ideas about food?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Stop mixing stuff in. Oyster shells and grit should be offered separately free choice. Cut out most of the extras and feed mostly the ration. The will eat what they need.

Make sure your ration is fresh and doesn't smell moldy or off.

Shell less eggs are often from stress, and brittle eggs can be from stress or a respiratory infection.

 

[Toothpick]

I agree with the above, no need to mix it. Grit and oyster shells can be provided separately free will. Throw the food out there and they will eat when they get hungry enough. When I switched from layer crumbles to layer pellets they woldn’t eat it at first. But eventually I guess they got hungry enough because it started to disappear.

 

[Folly's place]

x3! Pick one good food (Flock Raiser, for example) and offer that, with oyster shell and grit in separate containers. NOTHING else, at least until they are eating correctly. You've offered too many goodies, and unbalanced their diet, and they are holding out for the yummiest stuff available.
Check the mill date on each bag of feed, and buy within one month, and use within a couple more weeks at most. Old feed isn't 'good eats'.
Mary

 

[GC-Raptor]

Get rid of the flock block and different grains.
Only fresh poutry feed for a couple weeks with Oyster Shells and Granite Grit in separate containers.
Empty and clean feeder if damp or musty smelling. GC

 

[Folly's place]

The one time I offered a flock block, the birds ate nothing else until it was gone. Candy! I never bought another one.
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Ditto what Mary and GC say. Offer only their blended feed. (with OS and grit on the side) NO scratch grains.

Check the mill date on your feed. It should be less than 6 weeks. If it is older than that, it may be rancid. Even though older feed may smell and look ok, the nutrients have oxidized to the point that there is limited nutritional value.

 

[iliamna]

Thank you all. I'll take up the suggestions and see how it goes!