Modern Game Bantams...question about laying

[juliechick]

All my other little hens are laying except the MGB's. I have 4 of them and I have only gotten an egg or two every blue moon since I got them. Is this just how they lay? Also, the shells are very thin, despite the oyster shell that I have out for them. I guess they just don't eat it. Anybody have any comments/suggestions? I want to hatch some of their eggs once I get them a rooster, but I'm not sure how it will work with these thin shells.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

How old are the birds?

 

[juliechick]

Two were hatched last year and the other two the year before.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Have you tried feeding crickets? Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

Poorly shelled eggs can be nutritional, environmental or genetic. Are they able to get natural sunlight where they are housed? That can play a part as well.

Let's see...what are you feeding them at the moment? Other than the oyster shell? Are they on a breeder pelleted feed? Crumbles? Have you tried something higher in protein?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi Julie! My MGB are poor layers. Only one of my 6 girls are laying now (just started again after taking a looong break).
I don't know if it's just these, but they seem to be seasonal layers and lay spring/summer and quit for the year.
Haven't had any issues with thin shells. Mine are on laying pellets and get boiled eggs a couple of times a week --- they eat shell and all.
Good luck!

Lisa

 

[juliechick]

I put layer pellets out for them when I first got them and they didn't want to eat it. So, I got some game bird feed for them. It is pretty high in protein. I could try mixing in some of the pellets. What do y'all think?

They do get sunlight. I let them out to free range for a few hours every day that I can. Just in case someone asks, no, they aren't hiding their eggs somewhere. I've searched high and low.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I'd never use pellets with bantams...just a personal preference of mine. Their throats are so much smaller than largefowl. I'd use crumbles instead of pellets for them. If you can find crumbles, I'd step back from the gamebird feed and switch to the layer food.

 

[Chris09]

I would like suggest trying something.
Try taking about a cup of whole wheat (the grain) and soaking it overnight in either milk or a good electrolyte. And just enough milk or electrolyte to cover the wheat. The next morning when you go out to feed add the wheat to there feed you can pore out the liquid that might be left over.
Try it and see if that helps..

Chris