About 8 weeks ago, I noticed a pretty dramatic decrease in eggs (from 12-18/day to 4-6 per day) from my 20+ hens. The hens are anywhere from 1 to 3 years old. I have 8 roosters.
We're using a locally provided non-GMO layer pellet feed (Homestead Feed).
We've been using this feed exclusively since our first chicks three years ago. While they used to free range regularly, they have only been let out maybe once every two weeks for the last couple of months due to excessive predation. I have no insecticide or pesticides anywhere on our property.
We did suspect possible coccidia from a recently introduced batch of American Bresse chicks, and have completed the first 5-day run of Corrid treatment about a week ago.
Where it gets interesting is that I have two other neighbors (each more than a mile from me) that are experiencing the same decrease in output and egg quality.
Because the eggs are so few, we're taking them every morning - so they are no more than 24 hours old. Even so, some of the eggs have blood vessels and beating hearts! It's almost like they've been incubated for a week or more. The neighbors are seeing the same. This picture is from a <24 hour old egg...
The yolks are also very delicate - often already scrambled when the egg is opened... and those that survive the trip to the pan, will burst on their own seconds later.
It's quite frustrating to have so many hens producing such poor quality.
One neighbor is using the same feed as me, but the other is not. There is also a fourth neighbor who has had zero impact - and he's using the cheapest junk feed from Rural King. I'm seriously considering switching to that to see if that helps.
Any ideas?
We're using a locally provided non-GMO layer pellet feed (Homestead Feed).
We've been using this feed exclusively since our first chicks three years ago. While they used to free range regularly, they have only been let out maybe once every two weeks for the last couple of months due to excessive predation. I have no insecticide or pesticides anywhere on our property.
We did suspect possible coccidia from a recently introduced batch of American Bresse chicks, and have completed the first 5-day run of Corrid treatment about a week ago.
Where it gets interesting is that I have two other neighbors (each more than a mile from me) that are experiencing the same decrease in output and egg quality.
Because the eggs are so few, we're taking them every morning - so they are no more than 24 hours old. Even so, some of the eggs have blood vessels and beating hearts! It's almost like they've been incubated for a week or more. The neighbors are seeing the same. This picture is from a <24 hour old egg...
The yolks are also very delicate - often already scrambled when the egg is opened... and those that survive the trip to the pan, will burst on their own seconds later.
It's quite frustrating to have so many hens producing such poor quality.
One neighbor is using the same feed as me, but the other is not. There is also a fourth neighbor who has had zero impact - and he's using the cheapest junk feed from Rural King. I'm seriously considering switching to that to see if that helps.
Any ideas?