To cull or to wait?

[Wickedchicken6]

Could be heat stress. Also, it sounds to me like they are getting more than their share of hand outs between AM and PM treats. What is their protein %? I believe that calcium is a very small part of the egg shell equation. I'd suggest putting them on a multi vitamin. I also think that your space is quite tight, and that could be part of the issue. do they get to free range? Have access to green vegetation? If not, I recommend turning their run into a deep litter run.

I was thinking flock raiser was a higher protein than layer but maybe not? We don't have flock rations here.

 

[Abriana]

Culling doesn't necessarily mean kill...it can mean rehome as well.
Culling just means removing it from the flock.

I didn't know that. I always heard it as killing the chicken. thanks!

 

[member 373180]

Thanks all. The feed is 20% protein. They don't freerange, thus the garden greens/bugs. Unfortunately my location and climate won't support DL. As this has been going on for months, and everyone else is fine, I'm more inclined to think the problem is with these individuals, not environmental. I will give them a bit more time to get it together.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks all. The feed is 20% protein. They don't freerange, thus the garden greens/bugs. Unfortunately my location and climate won't support DL. As this has been going on for months, and everyone else is fine, I'm more inclined to think the problem is with these individuals, not environmental. I will give them a bit more time to get it together.

A lot of people are complaining about the same thing... and I do suspect it COULD be the heat. Some individual will be effected more than others, as is the norm for all thing in life.

Juvenile egg eaters would be my main reason to cull. If it is the heat, then it will effect them the same again. And if that doesn't work for you, no need to tolerate it. More often than not the dynamics dictate who stays or goes in my flock... with a FEW individuals getting a pass. But keeping the flock strong is important.

Can I figure you also provide oyster shell on the side? I would skip the scratch... ya, we all like candy bars! I would have one every night if it wasn't going to effect my health.

Soft shell can happen as part of the reproductive system starting or shutting down. But that is usually very short term. My EE have been the MOST inconsistent layers of all my birds! Though I will ALWAYS have some in my flock, we like them a lot. My vote is to cull, but to be sure you are culling the right bird. Sometimes a flock member leaving will impact a friend left behind just as much as additions.

Good luck either way. I know how difficult it can be to deal with messy eggs/laying boxes and accidental bad egg eating habits.

 

[member 373180]

More often than not the dynamics dictate who stays or goes in my flock... with a FEW individuals getting a pass. But keeping the flock strong is important.

Can I figure you also provide oyster shell on the side? I would skip the scratch... ya, we all like candy bars! I would have one every night if it wasn't going to effect my health.

Thank you. I share your philosophy re flock dynamics, I keep only chickens I like but if they result in discord for everyone for whatever reason, they have to go. It might be different if I had a farm where they could free range and get far away from one another but here we must keep harmony and peace.
Aw, but wouldn't you love the person that brought you that candy bar every night (assuming you couldn't figure out they were enabling poor health choices)? I enjoy buying my way into their little dinosaur hearts ! Would it help to explain that by scratch I mean a mixture of about a third each scratch grains, BOSS, and mealworms??

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you. I share your philosophy re flock dynamics, I keep only chickens I like but if they result in discord for everyone for whatever reason, they have to go. It might be different if I had a farm where they could free range and get far away from one another but here we must keep harmony and peace.
Aw, but wouldn't you love the person that brought you that candy bar every night (assuming you couldn't figure out they were enabling poor health choices)? I enjoy buying my way into their little dinosaur hearts ! Would it help to explain that by scratch I mean a mixture of about a third each scratch grains, BOSS, and mealworms??

Yes, I do love the peeps who bring me sugary desserts, even though I KNOW they are enabling MY poor choices! It makes me feel special somehow.. and feeds my (real) ADDICTION to sugar. EVEN when they bring stuff that isn't my VERY favorite, I still like it. And YES, they KNOW they're doing it too! And they continue to do it because they know I like it...

Skip the scratch is ALWAYS my general recommendation, especially to those who feed layer. It might be better with the boss and worms, I'm not sure. I would be careful of fat content with those. But as long as you are aware and keep everything within goods limits, should be OK. And YES I also enjoy bringing those begging little velociraptors tummy yummies! Sometimes they really do make me think I'm in Jurassik Park!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you. I share your philosophy re flock dynamics, I keep only chickens I like but if they result in discord for everyone for whatever reason, they have to go. It might be different if I had a farm where they could free range and get far away from one another but here we must keep harmony and peace.
Aw, but wouldn't you love the person that brought you that candy bar every night (assuming you couldn't figure out they were enabling poor health choices)? I enjoy buying my way into their little dinosaur hearts ! Would it help to explain that by scratch I mean a mixture of about a third each scratch grains, BOSS, and mealworms??

Yes, I do love the peeps who bring me sugary desserts, even though I KNOW they are enabling MY poor choices! It makes me feel special somehow.. and feeds my (real) ADDICTION to sugar. EVEN when they bring stuff that isn't my VERY favorite, I still like it. And YES, they KNOW they're doing it too! And they continue to do it because they know I like it...

Skip the scratch is ALWAYS my general recommendation, especially to those who feed layer. It might be better with the boss and worms, I'm not sure. I would be careful of fat content with those. But as long as you are aware and keep everything within goods limits, should be OK. And YES I also enjoy bringing those begging little velociraptors tummy yummies! Sometimes they really do make me think I'm in Jurassik Park!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Thanks all. The feed is 20% protein. They don't freerange, thus the garden greens/bugs. Unfortunately my location and climate won't support DL. As this has been going on for months, and everyone else is fine, I'm more inclined to think the problem is with these individuals, not environmental. I will give them a bit more time to get it together.

That's a decent protein value. It could very well be these specific girls.

Yes, I do love the peeps who bring me sugary desserts, even though I KNOW they are enabling MY poor choices! It makes me feel special somehow.. and feeds my (real) ADDICTION to sugar. EVEN when they bring stuff that isn't my VERY favorite, I still like it. And YES, they KNOW they're doing it too! And they continue to do it because they know I like it...

Skip the scratch is ALWAYS my general recommendation, especially to those who feed layer. It might be better with the boss and worms, I'm not sure. I would be careful of fat content with those. But as long as you are aware and keep everything within goods limits, should be OK. And YES I also enjoy bringing those begging little velociraptors tummy yummies! Sometimes they really do make me think I'm in Jurassik Park!

I don't understand why scratch is viewed as being a candy to chickens. Prepared chicken feed is made from grain. It's tested to ensure it's safe and meets protein values etc.of course, but scratch is not that much different unless it contains a lot of corn. Wheat, millet, rye (my chickens don't like rye) are good grains. With a 20% protein prepared feed...a bit of scratch is fairly negligible. Layer isn't as high of a protein...but good feed wheat can be 14%-15% protein. That's still just plant protein..but meal worms are being given so that helps the animal protein aspect. The fat content could be an issue, agreed.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

That's a decent protein value. It could very well be these specific girls.

I don't understand why scratch is viewed as being a candy to chickens. Prepared chicken feed is made from grain. It's tested to ensure it's safe and meets protein values etc.of course, but scratch is not that much different unless it contains a lot of corn. Wheat, millet, rye (my chickens don't like rye) are good grains. With a 20% protein prepared feed...a bit of scratch is fairly negligible. Layer isn't as high of a protein...but good feed wheat can be 14%-15% protein. That's still just plant protein..but meal worms are being given so that helps the animal protein aspect. The fat content could be an issue, agreed.

I agree that with 20% protein feed a SMALL amount of scratch is irrelevant. The reason it is viewed more as candy, or empty calories like chips is because even though the formulated rations are made from grain as their base they have ADDED vitamin and minerals that round out the nutrient intake with the correct amount of calorie ratio. And the scratch that I am familiar with is USUALLY around 8% protein and mostly corn based. Of course there are different scratch formulations as well, like you mention. That's why I said it is my GENERAL recommendation to avoid scratch, especially to those who feed layer. But it's true, we all have different situations. Many people focus on seeds and whole grains, which I'm sure are awesome! But many of the seeds are high in fat and they may THINK they are doing their birds a healthy favor by doing "whole grains" and even greens. But again whole grain corn is VERY devoid of nutrients. So I mostly mean it as a way to open up the conversation and offer insight to MANY who are feeding way too much "scratch". Oh gosh, I hate rye too! Funny that your chickens don't like it much either. I raise meal worms for treats, and I THINK those might actually be a little high in fat also. But, like you say.. in moderation should be OK.

 

[aart]

With a 20% protein prepared feed...a bit of scratch is fairly negligible.

Main reason I feed a 20%...so I can give scratch, and other foods, without diluting protein.