hens not laying ???

[lacyloo]

i need some help. I have 13 feeather footed bantams hens and 3 rhode island red hen,, one black somin hen, and 2 light brahmas.I think they are all moulting or somin im feeding them meat builder and layer mixed with scrach and I only git 3 eggs a day out of 18 females. I wounder what im doin wrong

. like 3 months ago got about 16 eggs a day

please let me know if im doin sominthing wrong !!

thanks, Tayler

 

[devora]

What is 'meat builder'? How old are they?

 

[lacyloo]

The name of its flock raiser its just a feed to help birds gain wait. The rir and light brahmas are 2 years old. The feather fotted bantams are 1 year old to.

 

[bigzio]

If alot of feathers are around on the ground, then they are molting and won't lay until they grow their new feathers. It takes alot of protein to aquire the new plumage, so egg laying is on hold till then. This is normal behavior once a year, so that could be what is going on. One hopes they don't have a egg sucker amoung the flock, something that does occur if the hens are lacking enough protien in their diet, that they find the protein they need by eating eggs.

bigzio

 

[lacyloo]

thanks i broke them from eating there eggs a few weeks ago. There are alwasy lots of feathers on the ground cause of theamount of aimals i hve but i havet notince a diffrence in the feather deal though.I will try to up the protiens more but how do i do that ???

 

[Juliechickens]

Bigzo, thanks for that info. I have several of the same breeds as she does and mine aren't laying yet either. Mine are only 5 months old though so I'm still holding out. I have noticed lately lots of feathers on the ground too so maybe mine are doing the same thing. I can't wait till I have my first egg! Julie

 

[bigzio]

lacy, Their a couple of easy ways to up the protein amount in the diet. Two treats that really work well are dry cat food and black oil sunflower seeds. They are both around 30% protein and do wonders to solve the problem. I presently have 14 hens and feed them 2 cups of seeds and 2 cups of dry cat feed daily, their is never any left even though they free range and have layer mash 24/7. Good Luck.

bigzio

 

[lacyloo]

ok i will start adding cat food to there diet then. thanks

 

[nutmeg]

I just came on to ask these very question. My two new 1 yr old hens are not laying. When I opened the coop this morning I thought one of the hens should have been bald by the amount of feathers on the floor!! They must be molting.
I was told protein was good but not how much and of what. Cat food and sunflowers seeds. I can do that!
Between you guys and the young man at the feed store I may actually keep these birds alive and well.

Thanks

 

[lacyloo]

Well most of my chickens eat the catfood off our porch "were we feed the cats" so i think they are good on the catfood. I might go to walmart and get some bird seed to give them. Yes Nutmeg i think ur chickens are molting. And im getting maby 5 eggs a day i separated my hens from the roos so i can give the hens layer feed/ scrach and give the males the meat builder/ scrach/free range.I'm going to lock the hens up for the witner so i can keep and eye on there weight and there eggs. A few of my hens decided they wanted to lay in the woods. last time and i lost alot of eggs and hens thanks to preadators

Hopefully they want, want to eat there eggs, again.

rolleyes: