Fruit stops egg production?

[NewGuineaChooks]

I was just reading the Meyer Hatchery Catalogue, and on page 4 there was a weird statement. I've never heard of this before. Anyone know about this:

"Laying Hens: ...... Don't feed fruit to layers, since it can cause them to stop laying and it may take as long as 6 weeks for them to start again. ....."

??
maureen

 

[silkiechicken]

Haha, that's funny. Tell my hens that.... they give me eggs.

 

[pricem11]

Good Lord, the day after mine get watermelon or cantaloupe I get twice as many eggs.

 

[speckledhen]

Not at my house-they eat fruit, they lay just fine.

 

[lurky]

Its Massachusetts fruit.......... mine are not laying any eggs at 22 weeks.

 

[Katy]

I read that in their catalog too and thought they have to be nuts. Mine get fruit and I don't think it's ever had a bad effect on them.......they still lay except for their annual molt vacation.

 

[chickenman7]

I feed mine fruit all the time doesn't do anything

 

[Frozen Feathers]

That is the silliest thing I've ever heard...feeding fruit doesn't stop egg production...not feeding fruit sends chickens on strike... and that stops egg production!! At least at my house anyway...

 

[RioLindoAz]

feed them all the fruits you can give them, and let me tell you that they will lay double...

 

[pricem11]

Can't find a single scientific study saying anything about fruit intake and egg production. However, I did go to www.pubmed.org and used the search string "chicken egg production fruit". There's a lot of interesting stuff being done re: chook diet and increasing omega-3 fatty acids in eggs (by feeding flaxseed, rapeseed, etc.). Maybe they'll figure out how to make eggs healthier than fish--and no mercury!