New hens, when they begin to lay?

[Rick&chickTampa]

Most chicken feeds have adequate vitamins, protein levels vary which can be important if you like to give scratch grains and other 'treats'.

I went to the feed store or actually Tractor Supply this morning and bought Purina Layena with oyster shell mostly because it had several vitamins listed on the label. I mixed it with the Manna Pro at about 4:1 ratio with Manna Pro being the 4. I figure as I use it I will add another scoop of Purina to the mix. I also bought DE and mixed in about a cup to about the equivalent of a 5 gal. bucket as well as sprinkling it round the coop and run. Also bought Oyster Shell. A couple of them nibbled at it then left it alone. When I went out to close the run there was a nice poop right in the middle of the oyster shell but I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a message for me. Bought 50 lbs of scratch too and my wife insisted on buying some fruits and veggies at the market to make treats. Seriously I could have breakfast at IHOP everyday for a year.

 

[Rickba]

DE will not likely kill either external or internal parasites

I've been using DE for years. My Pa used it and my Gran' Pa used it. It's worked then and it works now. Modern people are just to stuck on cure all pharmaceuticals. I use it to worm my dogs and cats too. He is right about the food grade though. I forgot that. DE WORKS GREAT!!!!!!

**Edited by Staff**

 

[sourland]

DE will not likely kill either external or internal parasites, save your money.
It is also a respiratory irritant.
If you insist on using it be sure the product you buy is 100% food grade DE,
many products are mostly clays.

Most chicken feeds have adequate vitamins, protein levels vary which can be important if you like to give scratch grains and other 'treats'.

Combs are pale because bird are out of lay, probably due to age.
They look to be last years hatch by feather condition, so a year or more old and probably getting ready to molt. Always good to ask age in months or weeks when procuring birds.

Fact, not fiction.

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

UPDATE; Still no eggs.
I built a gate so now a larger section is blocked off to keep the dog out and the chickens in and I have been letting them "free range" in our small backyard area. They do seem to be happier. From the amount of feathers I am seeing I am guessing they are molting but it is not a heavy molt like in the featured article with that naked chicken picture.
My daily routine is I open the coop at the first sign of daylight and let them out into the run because they always seem to be starving as soon as they come out of the coop. Mid morning I open the run and let them roam. I have read that they will lay in the mornings. Should I be leaving them inside the coop longer or will they wonder in and out to lay? My personal thoughts are that with being relocated only a couple of days after a hurricane they have become extra stressed from the whole turn of events. Been thinking of liquid supplements. Any suggestions?

 

[aart]

Good balanced chicken ration should be all they need.
Wouldn't hurt to give them one dose of vitamins,
don't expect it to produce eggs tho,
could still take a few weeks to get over moving stress.
If over a year they may well molt before they lay again,
bumping up protein(especially animal protein) will help them thru the molt.

 

[MageofMist]

I've been using DE for years. My Pa used it and my Gran' Pa used it. It's worked then and it works now. Modern people are just to stuck on cure all pharmaceuticals. I use it to worm my dogs and cats too. He is right about the food grade though. I forgot that. DE WORKS GREAT!!!!!!

**Edited by Staff**

Fact, not fiction.

DE or, Desi-Dust as it is called here, did work for me when my two starter Silkies I got who came with feather lice and mites. I am not sure how it'd affect internal parasites though and would buy a wormer if I saw any signs of worms.

Edit: The Desi-Dust also works on cat fleas.

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

We got our first egg today.