how long before i see results??

[spish]

well seeing as out of 100+ hens ive not had a single egg for two months (i blame moulting/long nights etc) i decided to 'try' and confuse a few hens into thinking its time to start laying again!

so i brought a handful inside (where its warmer) given them light for 14 hours a day, upped the laying pellets and cut down on the old scratch and treats..oystershell and grit available....nesting boxes, perches...a whole room to themselves!


but as of yet not a single egg............these hens are from late 09 so just over a year old.

 

[Judy]

You don't mention breed, some are better winter layers than others, but you may have breeds there that we in the US are not familiar with, anyway.

You mentioned cutting down on scratch. My guess is, besides the shorter days, they are short on needed nutrients. I would cut out the scratch entirely for a while. Also treats, except high protein. Might even consider switching to a higher protein feed for a while; they're not using the extra calcium anyway.

 

[spish]

i brought inside 2 x araucana, 1x EE and 1x BR£. i have 'turkey' grower here, rather high in protein, shall i mix a bit of that in with the layer pellets?

 

[7L Farm]

I've been giving my RIR pullets Manna Pro 22% protein poultry conditioner. Every few days I mixs it with warm water & they think its a treat & eat it all. I'm thinking of mixing it with their 17 % laying pellots & feeding this till the bugs come back.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Sounds like a good plan to me! Hope it works for you.

I'm getting about 3 a day, down from 11 in the summer. I've changed their feed and am giving a decent amount of BOSS as treats. Trouble is, several are molting, so it can only help me so much.

 

[tammye]

must be the breed. I have 8 hens: 2 BO(Best layers)2 BR(very good layers) , 2 LW and 2 red comets. I am getting 3-4 eggs a day with 20 degree temps(zero and below at night), no additional light either. In the summer I get 7-8 a day . My friend has 13 hens . They are large hens with feathered feet, not sure what they are called, anyway, she has been having a problem getting hers to lay also, even in the summer time, with 13 hens she is now only getting maybe one egg a day, in the summer she gets about 4 a day, so it has to be the breed, since our hens are the same age and we live in the same climate.

 

[spish]

well i heard the egg song yesterday, and today....but still no eggs!
argh!!!!! i even sat in there to watch no one was laying then someone was eating it but nope....one little araucan sitting there singing away, the others then join in singing, then its done, no results!!!!!