Hens not laying

[Karenin]

Hello, our rooster was overbreeding our hens, so we gave him away 4 months ago. Our hens were laying just fine, but after we gave him away they have completely stopped. They are over 1 year old. Recently we got 2 seramas. 1 male and one female they have successfully integrated with our other two hens. The female serama doesn’t lay much either we get about 1 egg a month. We feed them a homemade gluten-free feed and crushed eggshells.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What do you use to make the feed. My first instinct is they aren't getting all they need (egg shells aren't enough calcium for them)

They could also be molting

 

[Karenin]

What do you use to make the feed. My first instinct is they aren't getting all they need (egg shells aren't enough calcium for them)

They could also be molting

Mixed brown rice, quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, oat grouts and alfalfa. We also give them food scraps such as lintels, peas, cauliflower and lettuce (mealworms as treats).

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Mixed brown rice, quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, oat grouts and alfalfa. We also give them food scraps such as lintels, peas, cauliflower and lettuce (mealworms as treats).

You're good with nutrition stuff, right @U_Stormcrow ? Would this be a suitable diet?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You're good with nutrition stuff, right @U_Stormcrow ? Would this be a suitable diet?

@Karenin

I'd need to know the ratios, then I could do the math. At first glance, "I don't know" - not something I'm fond of admitting. Pine Nuts??? That's an expensive chicken feed. I use that in my Pesto.

Initially? Alfalfa isn't bad, its often used as a soy substitute, I'm trying to get some growing in my own pasture. Dried, of course, much more concentrated nutrition than green. Sunflower seeds are high protein, but what isn't protein is almost entirely fat - not good. Rice isn't a common poultry feed in the US. I'd need to look it up. Same with quinoa - I've looked at it before, its closer to oats than corn, making it one of the better grains. The rest of the seeds/nuts are hit or miss, while oat groats are pretty decent in some areas, not in others.

I've some concerns about how complete a protein it is, as well as overal protein and fat numbers. Provide the recipe, give me some time, i can do the math.

By weight please.

 

[aart]

I've some concerns about how complete a protein it is, as well as overal protein and fat numbers. Provide the recipe, give me some time, i can do the math.

.....and what about the vitamins, minerals, amino acids?
It's not all about protein.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

.....and what about the vitamins, minerals, amino acids?
It's not all about protein.

yes i,d be looking at the aminos while computing the protein, fat, etc and some of the bigger minerals and trace elements. But if they can't get the protein and fat right, there's no reason to look at the trees, much less start poking thru the weeds. The forest as a whole won't work.

 

[Folly's place]

Not a complete feed, for sure.
Mary

 

[Karenin]

@Karenin

I'd need to know the ratios, then I could do the math. At first glance, "I don't know" - not something I'm fond of admitting. Pine Nuts??? That's an expensive chicken feed. I use that in my Pesto.

Initially? Alfalfa isn't bad, its often used as a soy substitute, I'm trying to get some growing in my own pasture. Dried, of course, much more concentrated nutrition than green. Sunflower seeds are high protein, but what isn't protein is almost entirely fat - not good. Rice isn't a common poultry feed in the US. I'd need to look it up. Same with quinoa - I've looked at it before, its closer to oats than corn, making it one of the better grains. The rest of the seeds/nuts are hit or miss, while oat groats are pretty decent in some areas, not in others.

I've some concerns about how complete a protein it is, as well as overal protein and fat numbers. Provide the recipe, give me some time, i can do the math.

By weight please.

Sorry for the delay, but it’s taking me a while to get the recipe by weight… I don’t have a scale for food, but one is in the mail. So I should be able to give you the measurements soon!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sorry for the delay, but it’s taking me a while to get the recipe by weight… I don’t have a scale for food, but one is in the mail. So I should be able to give you the measurements soon!

You are measuring by volume, not mixing a bag of this to two bags of that???

I *might* be able to do it by volume. You must not be feeding many birds.