Switched from crumbles to pellets, stopped laying

[Henry&Friends]

I buy (I give my mom money to buy) my chickens layer crumbles every week or two. This has been the routine since we‘ve been getting eggs, and the system works without flaw.

or so I thought....

this past weekend my mom brought home layer pellets. Same brand, same content, different shape. My chickens finished the bag of crumbles, and the next morning I tossed them pellets, anxiously watching to see if they touch them. At first, the pellets were ignored for the greater food—kitchen scraps. But slowly, one hen started eating the pellets. Another hen watched, and also began chowing down. One by one, I watched my chickens realize there was food and eat some pellets.

that was about three days ago. For So long, I’ve been overrun with eggs. 10+ hens laying an egg a day fills up the nests rather quickly, but I managed to fully clear the nests the day they finished the crumbles.

For the past three days, I have gotten exactly two eggs a day.

I figured that my hens are revolting against their pellets. Their run was also expanded last weekend, but it seems weird that egg production would drop so drastically a whole week after this change. I was going to get my hens more layer crumbles this weekend, but I’ve found out now that I’m getting chicks, and so I’m spending all my extra money on chick starter (Sorry hens )

I know my chickens get enough to eat otherwise (they’re free range and they get bread or table scraps when I get home from school because they’re spoiled) and I can see that they are eating the pellets.

Would they stop laying eggs because of the change from crumbles to pellets? I’ve considered that they might be laying elsewhere, which they’ve done before, but I haven’t found any hidden nests or heard any egg songs in odd places. I guess the only way to really find out is to switch their food back (which I will when they finish the pellets) but I’d like others thoughts and input.

 

[sourland]

Chickens hate change, and change of any sort can disrupt egg laying cycles. Generally these changes are short in duration, but can sometimes include an induced molt and longer periods of non laying. Bottom line is that they will lay again - in their own good time.

 

[azygous]

Haven't you nnoticed what drama queens laying hens are? They're yanking your chain.

George is so right. Any slight change in any small thing can get layers in a snit. Do you realize that pellets are produced first at the mill, and then some go through a grinder to make the crumbles? They're the same exact food. You can try grinding up some of the pellets into crumbles and offer them along with the pellets until your spoiled darlings surrender to the new food form.

I need to caution you about giving them too many treats, though. It can take the edge off their appetites and cause them to eat less of their regular feed. This can reduce the protein and nutrients they need for egg laying. Also, bread is not a good thing to give chickens as it can contribute to crop issues. I let my chickens fight over a stale slice of bread maybe twice a year, and I ration their scratch to just a tablespoon per chicken a couple times a week.

In fact, when they get scratch and BOSS, they get it in roll around bottles with holes drilled into them so the rolling action releases only a small amount of the goodies. What they would wolf down in three minutes, takes them two hours to get from this method, and it amuses them at the same time.

 

[Breakfast for dinner]

Drama queens