Hiding eggs?

[Phionex Boy]

I saw my RIR come down from the nesting boxes so i went outside to look for an egg and the fake eggs i put in there were buried under the hay... Why?!?!?!

 

[iwiw60]

Could be several things. Is she a new layer? Did she actually lay an egg? Hens will sometimes go in the nest box and root around endlessly until they get it "just right" ... silly chickens...nothing to worry about I'm sure!

 

[Phionex Boy]

no she is only 19 weeks like all my others... No eggs yet... Check out my other threads i need help with sexing

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

She's just practicing her nesting skills - it's a sign that she is preparing to begin laying.

 

[iwiw60]

She's just practicing her nesting skills - it's a sign that she is preparing to begin laying.

Exactly @Ol Grey Mare ...silly girl is "playing house" getting ready to lay!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Different hens have different nesting styles, I have one right now who absolutely bulldozes around in the nest box, shoves all the hay into a big pile and then burrows into it all so she is under it (not just the usual toss a couple pieces on my back while I'm sitting here most hens will do) - quite funny to watch, but makes an absolute mess of things and anything in the nest when she gets there (eggs already laid, golf balls, etc) gets buried for a treasure hunt later.

 

[Phionex Boy]

I am not feeding them the egg laying stuff yet because my dad said that once they lay we will buy it because we bought the starter stuff on accident. He said it only develops the shell not the egg... is that true? :? i think my dad is confused (dont tell him im trying to feed them extra everyday because we need the laying feed

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You don't *have* to feed a layer ration - even after they have started to lay. I keep my flock on a "grower" ration (flock raiser) because I prefer the higher protein level (20% in FR vs the 16% for average layer rations). The layer ration does have a higher calcium content, but this is able to be replaced by offering free choice oyster shell for your birds to consume as needed/wanted. Yes, they calcium is used by the hens body to shell their eggs - selling an egg every day draws an incredible amount of calcium out of the hen's body, and she replaces that by taking in calcium in her diet. Calcium is also used by the body to help the muscles contract to pass the egg (which is why calcium is recommended as part of the treatment for egg binding). Once they start laying you can also use the shells from eggs you eat and feed them back to your birds to provide a calcium source as well. Is the starter feed you are currently using medicated or un-medicated?

 

[Phionex Boy]

I dont know... All i know is the name :3


Pen Pals- Chicken starter/Grower

Thats the name

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

That comes in a medicated and unmedicated formula - do you have the bag where you can look at the ingredients? If so, you will see amprolium and bacitracin listed if you have the medicated formula.