What am I doing wrong?? Egg Eaters

[McChooky]

I never heard of Blinders. Where do you get them? And I was thinking it’s probably the protein levels. I’m allergic to all meats so there’s never any meat in any food scraps from me.

Amazon sells painless peepers

 

[Leasmom1013]

Amazon sells painless peepers

I’ll order them.

 

[Leasmom1013]

I got two eggs, I do believe I lost two or at least one. It started snowing again and they stayed in their covered run. I did find the second fake egg, finally. I think I will get those Painless Blinders. So tomorrow I’ll compare what happens to today.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I'm definitely not any expert, but I know someone who blew the egg out and filled it yellow dishsoap..when they pecked it open they realized it wasn't the yummy egg they hoped it would be. She did this three times in a row and egg eating stopped. They sell wire bottomless 6 ft runs online, you could put it someplace in your yard with cheap clear plastic wrapped over top, the snow would melt and place couple birds in there. They are completely enclosed but, out of run. It would help with boredom. Throw some straw in bottom from to scratch in, maybe couple mealworms. Hope it changes for you!

 

[Leasmom1013]

I'm definitely not any expert, but I know someone who blew the egg out and filled it yellow dishsoap..when they pecked it open they realized it wasn't the yummy egg they hoped it would be. She did this three times in a row and egg eating stopped. They sell wire bottomless 6 ft runs online, you could put it someplace in your yard with cheap clear plastic wrapped over top, the snow would melt and place couple birds in there. They are completely enclosed but, out of run. It would help with boredom. Throw some straw in bottom from to scratch in, maybe couple mealworms. Hope it changes for you!

Thank you

 

[Leasmom1013]

Today I couldn’t really get out there as much but I got two eggs again by the same two troublemakers. So I don’t know if they ate any eggs. I have a family member from out of state here for a few days but they ate a lot more of their feed. They were still confused that I didn’t give them treats. So we shall see. I’ll update in a few days. Thank you to everyone and your input. I really do appreciate it.

 

[McChooky]

My 2 pullets from a special breeding project started laying this week. They lay pale blue and olive eggs.My broody hen slash house chicken is laying an x lg brown egg every other day. I hope to re-home her if anyones interested! Very few of my others are laying.

 

[DobieLover]

20% for anything other than occasional supplementation is well found to be harmful. It is too hard on the kidneys, as well as causing the acid build up in mentioned earlier. If you look up feeding that level you will notice it is recommended to give supplementary calcium as well as not making it long term.

Please quote the sources that have concluded that feeding at 20% protein levels causes this harm.

I have never fed my flock layer feed. They have always been on various combinations of Flock Raiser, chick starter and fermented broiler mash. The combination always targets 20% protein. ALWAYS. I feed 2-3 small handfuls of mixed bird seed with mealworms once daily, they will get tuna or sardines 3xweek during the molt for even MORE protein, overripe grape tomatoes from the garden and squash guts and other small amounts of veggie scraps from the kitchen from time to time.

I keep 2 containers of oyster shell available at all times but no one touches it during their winter break.

My oldest hens will be 8 in April and the second oldest 7 and all are doing quite well. All were still laying eggs last fall, granted, at a much reduced rate.

Higher protein CAN cause egg binding, due to the calcium drain that the extra blood acid levels cause. This is also a well researched fact.

Again, can you please provide links to the studies supporting this well researched fact? I've never had an egg bound hen and over the last nearly 8 years my flock size has fluctuated between 20-30 birds. Statistically, I should have had a bird with egg binding by now based on your statement.

My birds are also permitted to explore their 1/3 acre pen at will and they've caught and consumed any number of bugs, snakes, frogs, worms and grossly, a fledgling junco. Lots more protein.

 

[McChooky]

In 2021 I ordered 10 sexed pullets from a well known hatchery and sold 4 to a friend after they arrived (split order) Out of the 6 I kept 2 died from multiple reproduction issues and one died after impaling herself on a grounding rod accidentally. I still have the other 3 but none of them lay anymore. All my chickens are fed 20% chick starter or all flock and none has suffered from egg binding except the 1st batch(2021) . The hatchery that sold me those chicks went out of business

 

[Rillowen]

Dobielover,
You are correct that I needed sources, unfortunately I don't have a computer at the moment, only a phone. When I try to leave the page to get my source from any other window it reloads the page and I loose my entire typed message. I have tried the "save draft" button, but as far as I can tell that does nothing.I have typed it up 3 times now only to loose it again. In the process though I decided I should probably stop blowing this poor persons thread up with an unintentionally highly debated topic only loosely related to his problem. The main point of everything is was trying to say was ironically exactly what you have been doing anyway. Also saying that you should statistically have had egg binding is not accurate, since I gave no statistic for rate, and you are not giving ONLY the 20% feed.
1. Don't feed ONLY straight 20% protien feed for long times, even the companies that make it advise against this. If you are going to feed it to them at all make sure you give extra calcium to help counter, and ideally at least free range. Both of these are advised by the companies that make them, and what they are promarily designed for.
2. "Snacks" and treats are OK and even beneficial in 30% or less of their total food if they are healthy things like greens, bugs, beans and not grains and fruit.
3. Commercial feed actually is not made of good quality ingredients and can cause damage long term if that's all they get.
4. While chickens are like toddlers and eat what tastes good first, if given only high variety nutritious snacks and free range their body will self regulate and help ensure a complete nutrition. An important part to this is to remember that when they eat things like bugs or beans (or even a junco??!) They arent actually getting 100% protien, most of those are at most 30%, with added calcium and fat too which both help deter ketoacidosis. Also free ranging hens actually eat more greens (which are surprisingly high in calcium) than protein sources.
5. If you give high nutrition snacks (inculuding a better protein source like beans, bugs, or bone in fish) and free range in addition to Commercial feed you will probably find your chickens lay and live longer. (Which Dobielover showed)

I am going to see if I can type up a more complete essay on the sources, methods, and why's of all of this (including the egg binding). I will have to type it in a different place then copy it over and start in a different thread. If i can get it I will edit this thread and post the link. It might take me a few days though.