Light in the coop?

[heatherlaw]

I would like to put a light in my coop to encorage my ladies to lay again, but I am worried about one of my birds. Last summer, my lovely BLRW Laura got egg bound. We gave her calcium and she passed the egg. I know they are more susceptible to getting it again after they have had it so I am wondering if a light in the coop would nit be good for her. I know it can cause issues in young pullets but I dont know about fully grow birds. Any thoughts?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We have passed the winter solstice already, so there will naturally be increasing daylight which will trigger hormones and hens should start laying again. Adding extra light now wouldn't probably be helpful as you need to slowly increase it daily until it reaches the 14 hours.

Calcium should always be available free choice for all hens. I have never had an egg bound hen. I don't think just consuming calcium will help them pass the egg unless they are deficient in calcium which helps muscles contract. Always keep some available.

I would just do nothing as far as light. My BLRW aren't very good layers. They are some of the last breeds to resume laying and they take lots of breaks during the year.

 

[chickens really]

I would like to put a light in my coop to encorage my ladies to lay again, but I am worried about one of my birds. Last summer, my lovely BLRW Laura got egg bound. We gave her calcium and she passed the egg. I know they are more susceptible to getting it again after they have had it so I am wondering if a light in the coop would nit be good for her. I know it can cause issues in young pullets but I dont know about fully grow birds. Any thoughts?

Nutrition plays a big role in Birds going Egg bound, Sour crop and impacted crop.....


What do you feed and I mean treats/snacks plus feed on a daily basis.........


Cheers!

 

[heatherlaw]

I feed them nutrina layer feed but they were free ranging at the time and were not eating their feed. I gave her liquid calcium which helped her pass the egg. I am sure it was a calcium deficiency as her eggs were thing shelled as well but I hadn't realized they werent eating theire feed. They now have access to oyster shell at all times. I havent had a problem since but i didnt want to agrivate the problem. I will just skip the light and wait for them to resume laying. I cant wait. Grocery store eggs are gross.

 

[chickens really]

I feed them nutrina layer feed but they were free ranging at the time and were not eating their feed. I gave her liquid calcium which helped her pass the egg. I am sure it was a calcium deficiency as her eggs were thing shelled as well but I hadn't realized they werent eating theire feed. They now have access to oyster shell at all times. I havent had a problem since but i didnt want to agrivate the problem. I will just skip the light and wait for them to resume laying. I cant wait. Grocery store eggs are gross.

A tip.......

Layers need total balance in nutrition......



Cheers!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I feed them nutrina layer feed but they were free ranging at the time and were not eating their feed. I gave her liquid calcium which helped her pass the egg. I am sure it was a calcium deficiency as her eggs were thing shelled as well but I hadn't realized they werent eating theire feed. They now have access to oyster shell at all times. I havent had a problem since but i didnt want to agrivate the problem. I will just skip the light and wait for them to resume laying. I cant wait. Grocery store eggs are gross.

They should start up soon. I no longer feed layer as I like a higher protein feed. Free ranging birds can often balance their own diet, but during winter they can't always so mine get extra protein which they need to molt and stay warm as well as produce eggs. I feed an All Flock ration.

Not only are store eggs gross, but most are produced under cruel conditions. Poor chickens.

 

[heatherlaw]

Yeah I feel bad for the comecial production hens. I will take eggs from my happy chickens who get to roam on grass in the sunshine any day. Good news, my olive egger laid an egg! She isn't even done molting yet. Shes running around looking like a goof with only a single ragged tail feather but she laid. Everyone else had better quit being freeloading slackers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Congratulations. It has been a very strange molting season. I have a few that just started. So far none of my older hens have started back up, but a few are becoming more talkative which they seem to do before they start up again. I have one olive egger who I'm waiting to start. I'm hoping she has a pretty egg. How's yours?

 

[bobbi-j]

Today I got two eggs out of the coop that has only been producing one egg for the last couple of months. This coop contains a cockerel, two 3-year old hens and 7 pullets.

 

[heatherlaw]

Congratulations. It has been a very strange molting season. I have a few that just started. So far none of my older hens have started back up, but a few are becoming more talkative which they seem to do before they start up again. I have one olive egger who I'm waiting to start. I'm hoping she has a pretty egg. How's yours?

My olive egger lays a lovely shade of green. She is a marans/ameracauna cross. About every third egg is speckled. Post a pic when your girl lays. I would love to see what shade her egg is!