Very very thin shells

[ChickenMama18]

In our adult flock we have three buff orps and one bantam. They are eight months old and were laying fine until.....we switched from crumble to pellets. The feed store suggested we layer the pellets with scratch which I did. Production dropped dramatically...except for the bantam. She's starting to go broody so not sure if that has something to do with it or not. I suspected that the birds were eating only the scratch and that was why production dropped off. Posted a question on this site and others agreed. Anyway, they were out free ranging in the yard today and I found this egg (a buff orp egg) that was so thin it had only a thin membrane holding it together. As soon as I picked it up one of the birds came and pecked it and it broke on the ground and they all ate the yolk. I don't free feed oyster shells...I give them their egg shells back to them. Is this thin egg because they were eating mostly scratch...they need oyster shells free fed....or???? I"m baffled because they were laying great on the crumble. I just bought a new bag of pellets and I'm tempted to return and go back to crumble only I'd really like to stand firm and get them to eat the pellets so less goes to waste. Then the other thought I have is can chickens starve themselves? Help...worried about my babies.

Speaking of babies...while I was at the feed store today I picked up two more chicks....so I need to post those pictures later tonight. Today is work on new coop day. I think there's something wrong with me...I can't resist them!

 

[teach1rusl]

That would definitely be my guess...that they weren't getting the calcium they needed from the feed since they were getting a lot of filler in the scratch... I wouldn't give them ANY treats (except maybe yogurt, since it has calcium) until they're back on track...

 

[AngelzFyre]

I found with my chickens that I had to feed a higher protein during laying season and molt..so just feed it year round. Flock Raiser and Flock Blocks along with their regular scratch supplemented with organic flaxseed, black oil sunflower kernels, kelp and fish meal. I also keep free choice oyster in both coops along with free choice granite grit so the hens can get it as needed and the roos aren't getting additional calcium they don't need.
Yogurt should be fine in moderation, I use organic, plain for mine and mix it with cooked oatmeal or quinoa once or twice weekly.

Mine never did eat pellets either and though everyone told me to wait them out..after so long with them eating nothing at all and quitting laying..I caved! The crumbles are all they'll eat.

Hope this helps and no, nothing's wrong with you...you've got "chicken fever" like the rest of us do

).
Resistance is futile!!!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I agree with AngelszFyre. I tried pellets, and had to switch to crumbles after production dropped to almost nil (in the middle of summer). I also ended up with soft shelled eggs from one of the girls, so started adding Durvet's Vitamins & Electrolytes to the water, to make sure they were getting enough vitamin D for good calcium uptake. I'd also start free feeding oyster shell, in a separate feeder, if I was you. That way, if they need it, they can get it.

 

[ChickenMama18]

Quote:
Wow, that sounds exactly like what is happening with our birds. Hmm...I haven't opened the pellet bag I just bought yet so maybe I'll go back to crumble. We went through a whole 50lb bag and they haven't adjusted yet...it sounds like they may never adjust. Drat! The feed store is closed tomorrow! ARG! It's so hard to try and get there during the week cuz they close the same time I get off.

Thanks so much guys...I love this place!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
Wow, that sounds exactly like what is happening with our birds. Hmm...I haven't opened the pellet bag I just bought yet so maybe I'll go back to crumble. We went through a whole 50lb bag and they haven't adjusted yet...it sounds like they may never adjust. Drat! The feed store is closed tomorrow! ARG! It's so hard to try and get there during the week cuz they close the same time I get off.

Thanks so much guys...I love this place!

If you still have pellets that are opened, you can crush them in a blender so they'll have something to eat. Try not to make powder, though. Just break them up a bit. It's the same formula, so you just need to make them look like the feed they're used to. Birds identify food by sight, not smell. (Told to me by an avian vet during my own pellet crisis.)

 

[jjparke]

It's hard to switch to pellets after they have had crumbles because they will scratch through the pellets looking for the crumbles. So expect a lot of waste. Scratch is only a treat not a feed supplement. Also if you are going to give them back shells for calcium make sure you grind them first otherwise you are just training them to eat their eggs. I tried that and the oyster shell worked better anyway.

 

[ChickenMama18]

Awesome! I hadn't thought about grinding the pellets! I haven't been grinding the shells...so I will start doing that now AND go get some oyster shells!

Seriously, what would I do without this forum?