Laying Pellets causing Diarrhea?

[hotmama79]

My sweet chickens turned 6 months old Febuary 13,2012. They are not yet laying eggs. I am not really in any hurry for them to. But I thought I would start them on Laying Pellets. The fellow at the feed store said that most people go with those. I had been feeding them only scratch and kitchen scraps. So I go out there today to change out their bedding and visit. They have all got diarrhea so bad. They dont appear to be "drained" or sickly just runny poops everywhere. Yesterday was their first day on the new food. It has been raining seems like everyday so I havent notice anything different till today. Hopefully this is just a food change. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fred's Hens]

They are simply adjusting to the new feed, most likely. Can you clarify this. You were only feeding them scratch and scraps? How long were they on that diet?

 

[hotmama79]

they have been on scratch and scraps for about 2 months. Before that it was a chick starter.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes I would just wait it out. They might have upset tummies from the new food but it is better for them to have a higher protein level (scratch around here is around 10% protein and layer is 16%).

You are doing the right thing and just hang in there. I would keep giving them a little scratch - like a handful thrown out for them per half-dozen hens per day. This will help them adjust and is a nice treat for them anyway.

If the diarrhea doesn't go away within a couple of weeks I'd consider another problem as the cause, like worms or illness.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That's fine,

Scratch just isn't a complete feed, as you may know. Scratch is a supplemental feed, used only for entertainment or behavior modifying, that kind of thing. It is very, very difficult to provide balanced nutrition for maximum health and egg laying by assembling your own recipe. It can be done. But it is serious business.

The vast majority of folks simply feed their chickens a complete feed formula, similar to chick starter or now, the layer pellets you are introducing. I think you've made a good choice in now feeding them the pellets. When their diet changes too radically, it takes a few days for their digestion and excretory systems to balance out. The layer pellets require much less energy and work to digest, as they finely ground and then pelletized. The feed is just racing through them right now. Give it a few days, and they'll balance out just fine. Best regards.

 

[hotmama79]

THANK YOU BUNCHES. THEIR DIET WAS MOSTLY SCRATCH!!! AAHH. THATS PROBALLY WHY THEY ARE NOT LAYING. I WILL BE MORE CAREFULL KNOWING THIS. POOR BABIES. THEY DONT LOOK UNDERNURISHED LOL. GUESS ITS KINDA LIKE FEEDING KIDS ONLY CAKE...I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION DO YALL EVER FEED THE CHICKENS CRUSHED EGG SHELLS?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Absolutely!! I just let them air dry, crush and feed them back in their feed. They are free!!!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

THANK YOU BUNCHES. THEIR DIET WAS MOSTLY SCRATCH!!! AAHH. THATS PROBALLY WHY THEY ARE NOT LAYING. I WILL BE MORE CAREFULL KNOWING THIS. POOR BABIES. THEY DONT LOOK UNDERNURISHED LOL. GUESS ITS KINDA LIKE FEEDING KIDS ONLY CAKE...I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION DO YALL EVER FEED THE CHICKENS CRUSHED EGG SHELLS?

Yes! Just make sure they are crushed so they don't think to eat their eggs.