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- #11
Lol it's ok!
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Our chickens eat layer pellets, occasionally with oyster shells. They also get lots of watermelon, potatoes, corn and other scraps. Plus what they find out free ranging in te woods.
The nest boxes are on the floor, yes.
We tried putting mustered and hot sauce in empty eggs, but apparently they like it. We have tried running out in the morning to get the eggs before they eat them, hanging black curtains, everything! This flock is just too far gone I think.
I agree 100%.Switch from a layer to a higher protein feed, like an all flock or non medicated grower. All the extras they eat are diluting their total daily protein down, and 16% is the bare minimum they should eat in a day to support laying.
Add some higher protein treats like cottage cheese or scrambled eggs. Than move your nestboxes off the floor 2-3 feet is a more appropriate height, so they can't just look in and see an egg. That combined with ceramic or wooden eggs that can't be broken might fix your problems.
Well hopefully you get your eggs, are you keeping these hens or culling? I no longer feed layer to my flock, I find it's not enough protein to support backyard hens. Layer is formulated to be fed as the only food, and most folks don't do that and their birds end up deficit. I switched last year because I wanted to feed a pellet and it only came in an all flock. I was surprised by the increase in production and on how quickly they molted and resumed laying after, I will never feed layer again. So it certainly is something to think about.