So I tried the pepper thingy

[adele]

the other day I was trawling for ideas on how to get my BA's to start laying again. they are just coming up 1 year old and only started when they were 9 months but both had stopped for several weeks and one also went broody for a couple of weeks. I found the thread on feeding black pepper. Some of you use a LOT of pepper.. I can only assume it is a lot cheaper in the USA than it is here in NZ! but anyway, some time ago i had purchased a large bag of gourmet peppercorns because i thought they would look pretty in my grinder and taste good, they are black, red and brown and greeny ones. but alas they tasted yuk, so I went back to plain black for the table. Now, I thought, I have a use for them, so I whizzed a few tablespoonsful up in the processor and added it to my chooks pellets on friday morning.

They were decidedly unimpressed and didn't eat much, although they did eat some, I gave them clean water and expected them to drink heaps, they didn't. I got one egg from each RIR that day and one pekin egg. No australorps. But today there were no eggs all day, the RIRs had obviously decided to take a sabbath rest today. I checked in the evening when letting them out for a range around the garden and there was a speckledy one I'm sure was an australorp egg. Then later when they had all gone to bed there was another speckledy one in the nest! So both of the naughty non-layers started again the evening after being fed the pepper! now just to get my recently broody bantams to get going again!

 

[Imp]

Good for you, enjoy those eggs.

Imp

 

[adele]

bah! no eggs at all on Sunday! then only 2 rir and 1 pekin today. unimpressed!

 

[bobertyork]

That's how it goes sometimes

 

[Spoiled1_629]

I read the pepper thingy too and decided to try it on my 5 hens. They HATED the pepper in their treats. They pecked around it to get the pieces that had the least amount of pepper on it and shook their heads when they got a peppery bite. It was quite comical to watch, I think I added too much pepper initially though. I did this Saturday evening and got 3 eggs instead of the usual 2 yesterday. I added less pepper to their treats last night and they cleaned everything up, we will see waht today brings, though I am not hopeful as it is cloudy and snowing here today with no light peeping through the clouds.

 

[LukeandAli]

I've never heard of this! I'll definitely be trying this! Thanksb

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I would have never thought of this. Maybe I'll give this a try, though I feel like whatever nature is going to give me I'm going to have to go with it. LOL I've learned my chickens do NOT do what I want them to do.

 

[Kittyf]

I tried it yesterday - put pepper in their oatmeal treat. But I also introduced a new hen into the flock yesterday - a fully-grown and laying Black Marans - so I didn't expect anything today. But surprise! TWO eggs - one from my RIR and I think one is from the previously non-laying-yet Barred Rock!

Woohoo - hope they integrate well - there was some sqabbling as they adjusted pecking order, but they seem quiet this morning. I don't think Blackie is going to resume laying for a few days until she adjusts to her new home, but I look forward to her chocolate brown eggs!


Kate

 

[rufus]

We used to give the pullets red chili pepper to get them started laying. I think it is capsaicin in red chilis that does the trick. I had never heard about the black pepper trick.

Chickens can't taste the stuff, but it seems to work on the other end of them.

Rufus

 

[cravenchx]

I did the black pepper also, and lo and behold,
the next 2 days got 12/13.
Need to do it again.