A lot of BYC members, myself included, do not feed layer to any of our chickens. I feed them an "All Flock" feed, which is 20% protein. I have a dish of oyster shell/crushed egg shells out for their calcium needs. They eat what they need of that.
I always keep oyster shell out for Lucy, my hen, as well as returning her shells to her. I have noticed her consuming more of it on grower feed.
Because of their age, I have already bought layer feed (Scratch and Peck Mash) and have been serving it combined with grower crumble from my local feed store. I combined because the girls aren't crazy about the crumble and throw it on the ground. Mixed with the mash, however, they are eating more and wasting less.
I blew out the shell of my very first egg and saved it. It's in a little sugar bowl that my grandmother gave me. Both are treasures and make me smile.
OH! I might do THAT with the shell instead of feeding it back to them!
Probably most obvious behavioral sign is they'll start investigating possible laying sites, so if they like your nest boxes they'll pace in and out of them, scratch the nesting material around, etc. They may also become friendlier or more apt to follow you and start squatting in front of you if you encourage it.
Marion, Colombian Wyandotte, is in and out of the boxes all day long! I placed an egg-shaped rock in each box and she (at least I think it is her) Keeps moving them from one box to another, swapping them out. I can't speak toward "friendlier," but Peggy, Barred Plymouth Rock, has gotten peckish with me and chummy with my hen who is mean to her. Peggy wants to roost with Lucy instead of the pullets. Both, plus Edith, SLWyandotte, have started squatting. Edith will squat for me even when I am several feet from her. (I'm not sure why I do it, but every time they squat, I automatically apologize to them.)
I'm not terribly sentimental so I cook 'em up and just tell hubby that we're having so-and-so's first egg.
What's at least acknowledging them. That counts!
The only time I have shared the eggs with my chickens is when I pick up a broken egg in the nest box, or maybe find some hidden eggs out in the chicken run. Otherwise, the eggs are people food in my house.
Eggs are not on their regular menu. especially right now while we have 5 pullets and one layer.. Lucy is a Leghorn, so her egg game is STRONG (the final tally for her first 365 days with us was 358 eggs), but it's not THAT strong!
I have saved a lot of money by storing up on feed when it goes on sale. And I never pass up one of those Oops bags if I can find one in the store.
Unfortunately, I'm busy at the ranch 7 days a week until late afternoon/early evening. I never get to anywhere early enough to catch an oops bin sale.
Make sure you have a comfy darkish nestbox with a fake egg in it to guide the where to lay. I once had a chicken that searched a nest by herself outside the coop to lay her first egg (and more).
They have several dim, semi-private boxes in two different coops to choose from. There's also an open area below the nesting boxes with loose dirt and stray bedding where they've decided to dust bathe... I've noticed some nest shaping taking place there. To encourage using the boxes, I've placed egg. shaped stones. Marion has been moving the "eggs" from box to box.
Yes if you feed layer they'll go through calcium supplements more slowly. Conversely when I have chicks and everyone is on starter, grower and all flock, the oyster shell disappears much faster.
At first I thought the pullets were getting into Lucy's egg shell, but I've decided it's just Lucy compensating.
When the combs swell and are bright red - you are about a month out. If you don't have a rooster, and they squat for you, about two weeks out.
My Wyandottes' combs are both bright and full! Especially the SL. My Barred PRock is reddening, but not like the Wyandottes'. They have been squatting. The LSW for at least a week.
Ah but then I remind myself, I did not get chickens in order to get lots of eggs. I got chickens to keep the tick population down.
I got chickens for the joy of raising chickens. The eggs are a bonus. I got the pullets so my hen wouldn't be alone after her companion got snatched by a coyote.
It's always a special treat for my chickens when we have a large pail of kitchen scraps and leftovers for them. It does not cost us anything, and the hens go crazy when they have some new food to try out.
I have the only fickle chickens on the planet. It's always 50/50 that they will want scraps I take them. If one won't eat something, no one will eat it.
It feels good now to offer them a choice and I’m confident the chickens know best what’s good for them.
I have seen mine not eat several different bugs when they forage. I assume they know what not to eat. But as mentioned above, mine are picky eaters.
Some people equate that with showing love, or happiness, but I don't think so.
Do you think chickens don't experience happiness?
