Shellless Eggs

[annierose]

Hi all!
My flock contains: 2 silkies - approximately 7-8 months old
plymouth barred & sussex coronation around approximately 25 weeks. Isa brown is about 22 weeks.

I currently feeding them grower chicken feed with grit in a separate bowl. I have read to only start feeding them layer pellets once the entire flock has started laying.

So my plymouth barred is not laying nor does she crouch down when you are near. she a shy bird.

Isa and Sussex 2-3 weeks start first egg
My isa brown has laid 2 shellless eggs in the last week.
I've just caught my sussex looking dazed at 6:30pm at night, then walked whilst passing a shellless egg.

Any advice on whats happening here? Should i just go straight to layer pellets?

 

[Perris]

it is quite common for new layers' systems to produce weird eggs for the first few weeks, and for the birds themselves to take a while to adjust to how their bodies have changed; I wouldn't worry about it. You could start them on layer feed, while using up your grower feed, so offering both and let them take what they each want.
Enjoy the new eggs when you get some! Maybe a double yolker or two if you are lucky!

 

[annierose]

it is quite common for new layers' systems to produce weird eggs for the first few weeks, and for the birds themselves to take a while to adjust to how their bodies have changed; I wouldn't worry about it. You could start them on layer feed, while using up your grower feed, so offering both and let them take what they each want.
Enjoy the new eggs when you get some! Maybe a double yolker or two if you are lucky!

thank you, i've gotten 2 double yolks from our big sussex!

Now i've done some quick research on chicken scratch, i think Peters Poultry Free Range Mix is chicken scratch- https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/...HasDQM32jYtJzeE8VRxoC_EwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

In the hen house i have this chicken scatch, grower pellets and grit constantly available.
Is it right that i shouldnt have chicken scratch out? they'll eat it like sweeties??

 

[Perris]

the Peters mix you cited is a complete food, a sort of high quality layers ration, so no, it's not what is usually meant here by 'scratch'. It looks like a very nice feed in my view - and is priced to match! Your girls are lucky to have you

 

[sulu58]

it is quite common for new layers' systems to produce weird eggs for the first few weeks, and for the birds themselves to take a while to adjust to how their bodies have changed; I wouldn't worry about it. You could start them on layer feed, while using up your grower feed, so offering both and let them take what they each want.
Enjoy the new eggs when you get some! Maybe a double yolker or two if you are lucky!

 

[sulu58]

I got 3 shell less eggs during the first 3 weeks of laying. And many of the first eggs had double yolks. Clean up any broken eggs right away so your birds don’t get a taste of raw egg. Once they get a taste there is risk that they will break eggs to eat them.
It’s been 3/4 weeks and I am now getting about 24 eggs a week. I have 9 hens and only 4 are laying so far.

 

[aart]

grit in a separate bowl

Digestive Granite Grit or Oyster Shell 'grit'.

the Peters mix you cited is a complete food, a sort of high quality layers ration, so no, it's not what is usually meant here by 'scratch'.

Not sure this is even considered layer feed, I see no calcium percentage listed?
Low price is because only 15% protein.

 

[Perris]

Not sure this is even considered layer feed, I see no calcium percentage listed?

" Dicalcium Phosphate " no percentage given but it explicitly states " Peters Free Range Eggs Poultry Mix supplies all the dietary requirements for your poultry to lay rich golden eggs "

Low price

Aus$ 11 strikes me as expensive for 5kg. How much do you pay for yours?

 

[aart]

" Dicalcium Phosphate " no percentage given but it explicitly states " Peters Free Range Eggs Poultry Mix supplies all the dietary requirements for your poultry to lay rich golden eggs "

Aus$ 11 strikes me as expensive for 5kg. How much do you pay for yours?

I guess I'm just used to seeing the percentages listed.
And no, I did not note the weight of bag.
Apologizes for my assumptions.

 

[Perris]

no apologies necessary @aart ! we're all just trying to help the OP