MLG1900
Songster
- Dec 27, 2017
- 186
- 183
- 146
Hello all,
I am a new member from southern NJ but I have been using this forum regularly since I got chickens almost 2 years ago.
I currently have 13 hens. 4 Americana, 2 RIR, 2 Barred Rock, 5 Buff Orpington. I used to have another Americana but I unexpectedly found her dead in the run this past spring.
I had a very uneventful first spring/summer raising the chicks. I was very pleased with them all and getting about 8 to 10 eggs a day. Then their first winter the eggs reduced to about 4 a day. I also noticed a few molting over the winter and I do not use supplemental light. Then when spring came around, I was noticing a few chickens losing feathers again. Ones that I swore had already molted over the winter. I had changed their feed and wondered if that could be the cause. I went back to the original feed (purina layena crumbles) But the feathers did not come back and the eggs stayed at about 3 or 4 eggs a day. I tried all sorts of stuff. Extra grit, extra oyster shell, DE baths, letting them out of their run to free range. Someone suggested the hens that were missing feathers were being picked on. So, I thought maybe they just were not happy. I also know we have snakes but they can't possibly be eating all my eggs every day. So, fast forward to fall and almost whole flock goes into a serious molt. And I reduce to no eggs or only 1 egg daily. I changed their food to feather fixer to see if it helps them through molt faster. Oh my how nice the feathers were growing! Even the couple that had bald spots and messy feathers since early spring. They were all looking so good. But still no eggs! Will they lay eggs on Feather Fixer? So, after about 4 bags of feather fixer (40pounds) I start adding in their purina layena food (half and half) to see if they will start laying eggs. At this time, I notice, 1 chicken is seriously sick. I made a post about her in the health section. And a few are not as heavy as they should be. I gave whole flock ivermectin pour on 3 drops each bird 1 week ago. Second dose is due this weekend (14 days) I just started getting a blue egg (haven't had a blue egg since summer) and 1 or 2 light brown eggs a day now. Would love to hear if anyone has any other suggestions. I will be getting some new chicks this spring because I was very unhappy with the amount of eggs I was getting this summer. I love giving away eggs to my parents and in laws and I wasn't able to do that at all this summer.
I am a new member from southern NJ but I have been using this forum regularly since I got chickens almost 2 years ago.
I currently have 13 hens. 4 Americana, 2 RIR, 2 Barred Rock, 5 Buff Orpington. I used to have another Americana but I unexpectedly found her dead in the run this past spring.
I had a very uneventful first spring/summer raising the chicks. I was very pleased with them all and getting about 8 to 10 eggs a day. Then their first winter the eggs reduced to about 4 a day. I also noticed a few molting over the winter and I do not use supplemental light. Then when spring came around, I was noticing a few chickens losing feathers again. Ones that I swore had already molted over the winter. I had changed their feed and wondered if that could be the cause. I went back to the original feed (purina layena crumbles) But the feathers did not come back and the eggs stayed at about 3 or 4 eggs a day. I tried all sorts of stuff. Extra grit, extra oyster shell, DE baths, letting them out of their run to free range. Someone suggested the hens that were missing feathers were being picked on. So, I thought maybe they just were not happy. I also know we have snakes but they can't possibly be eating all my eggs every day. So, fast forward to fall and almost whole flock goes into a serious molt. And I reduce to no eggs or only 1 egg daily. I changed their food to feather fixer to see if it helps them through molt faster. Oh my how nice the feathers were growing! Even the couple that had bald spots and messy feathers since early spring. They were all looking so good. But still no eggs! Will they lay eggs on Feather Fixer? So, after about 4 bags of feather fixer (40pounds) I start adding in their purina layena food (half and half) to see if they will start laying eggs. At this time, I notice, 1 chicken is seriously sick. I made a post about her in the health section. And a few are not as heavy as they should be. I gave whole flock ivermectin pour on 3 drops each bird 1 week ago. Second dose is due this weekend (14 days) I just started getting a blue egg (haven't had a blue egg since summer) and 1 or 2 light brown eggs a day now. Would love to hear if anyone has any other suggestions. I will be getting some new chicks this spring because I was very unhappy with the amount of eggs I was getting this summer. I love giving away eggs to my parents and in laws and I wasn't able to do that at all this summer.
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