What did you do with your flock today?

[FBMcrazy8]

That's how the dwarfs are. I love them but I am getting tired of trying to break broodies. And it's never one...they go broody in groups. Determined little ladies!

I honestly like when mine brood at the same time. Then I can split some eggs between them and then they co-parent. I hate when only one broods. I’m over the broody hens this year. Though I think I have another

 

[Smokerbill]

@ChicksnMore
@TropicalBabies
@Eggcessive
@Shetland lover

Thanks for your insights into the soft and/or no shell problem my pullets are having. I had another disheartening experience when I went into the run/coop this morning. A few more soft shells, and a few piles of strange, muddy looking poop.

I agree, extra calcium is needed, and with so many soft shell eggs it has to be more than one pullet laying them.

I think the muddy, brown poop is caused by some of the pullets spending a lot of time in the evenings eating out of the compost piles. Which could be diluting the small amount of calcium in their all flock feed and any oyster shell supplements they eat.

And I realize that new layers might take a while to start laying good eggs consistently, but the amount of defective eggs being layed seems to be out of the ordinary.

Since it's more than one pullet laying defective eggs I decided to treat the whole group of pullets together as a group. I'll limit them to only eating commercial layer feed to which I'll mix in some crushed oyster shells for even more of a calcium boost. No free ranging, no foraging, no snacks either. Hopefully eating only quality feed with extra calcium supplementation will resolve the problem.

I was able to separate the pullets from the rooster this morning, so he'll be living solo while I manage the pullets' problem. He will be fed the all flock feed.

I know I could try to catch them and force feed them calcium tablets every day, but I think managing the problem how I outlined it above makes more sense. Seems much easier, too.

Does this sound like a reasonable and workable plan?

All the chickens are behaving perfectly normal, energetic and healthy this morning. I don't think there's any disease or high parasite load, but I could be wrong.

I apologize for the gross pictures...

 

[TropicalBabies]

@ChicksnMore
@TropicalBabies
@Eggcessive
@Shetland lover

Thanks for your insights into the soft and/or no shell problem my pullets are having. I had another disheartening experience when I went into the run/coop this morning. A few more soft shells, and a few piles of strange, muddy looking poop.

I agree, extra calcium is needed, and with so many soft shell eggs it has to be more than one pullet laying them.

I think the muddy, brown poop is caused by some of the pullets spending a lot of time in the evenings eating out of the compost piles. Which could be diluting the small amount of calcium in their all flock feed and any oyster shell supplements they eat.

And I realize that new layers might take a while to start laying good eggs consistently, but the amount of defective eggs being layed seems to be out of the ordinary.

Since it's more than one pullet laying defective eggs I decided to treat the whole group of pullets together as a group. I'll limit them to only eating commercial layer feed to which I'll mix in some crushed oyster shells for even more of a calcium boost. No free ranging, no foraging, no snacks either. Hopefully eating only quality feed with extra calcium supplementation will resolve the problem.

I was able to separate the pullets from the rooster this morning, so he'll be living solo while I manage the pullets' problem. He will be fed the all flock feed.

I know I could try to catch them and force feed them calcium tablets every day, but I think managing the problem how I outlined it above makes more sense. Seems much easier, too.

Does this sound like a reasonable and workable plan?

All the chickens are behaving perfectly normal, energetic and healthy this morning. I don't think there's any disease or high parasite load, but I could be wrong.

I apologize for the gross pictures...


View attachment 3604076View attachment 3604077View attachment 3604078View attachment 3604079View attachment 3604080View attachment 3604081View attachment 3604082View attachment 3604083View attachment 3604084

Has your flock been on layer feed? If not, getting them on a layer feed will be very helpful. I keep a mixed flock with roos and chicks. I do a layer and flock keeper mix in their feeders. The feeders that the pullets prefer, I fill with more layer than the ones the babies and the roos prefer. This has worked good for me. My roo is going on 4 with no problems- touch wood♡

Cut down on, or cut out snacks completly for a bit, freerange is good.

Also looks like those are just Cecal poops, the pudding ones, normal. Yes, you have a little runny poops, a probiotic may help.

For the gals with soft shell, I'd still try and get a little extra calcium down them to help them out. They are obviously running on E and it will come from their body's to try and make up the difference.
You will find your flocks balance ♡ you are a good keeper.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Forest did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Spoiler: Shop rat

Slippah is a size 9. And no, not bigger than Koke'e rats. They were bigger and fatter.

Best forest find ever!!!!!

And he did not bring it in the house!! Smartest forest find ever...♡

 

[Smokerbill]

Has your flock been on layer feed? If not, getting them on a layer feed will be very helpful. I keep a mixed flock with roos and chicks. I do a layer and flock keeper mix in their feeders. The feeders that the pullets prefer, I fill with more layer than the ones the babies and the roos prefer. This has worked good for me. My roo is going on 4 with no problems- touch wood♡

Cut down on, or cut out snacks completly for a bit, freerange is good.

Also looks like those are just Cecal poops, the pudding ones, normal. Yes, you have a little runny poops, a probiotic may help.

For the gals with soft shell, I'd still try and get a little extra calcium down them to help them out. They are obviously running on E and it will come from their body's to try and make up the difference.
You will find your flocks balance ♡ you are a good keeper.

I failed to mention that they've been on a all flock feed, 19% protein, and something like 1.5% calcium, not layer feed. With full time access to oyster shells. I think that the problem might be that some of the pullets haven't been eating oyster shells, or realize they need to.

I just returned from tractor supply with a bag of Nutrena Naturewise Layer pellets, 16%, 3.5% calcium (more or less). The new layer feed has live probiotics in it.

Since I don't know for sure who's laying soft shells or how many, I'm mixing about a tablespoon of crushed oyster shell into a couple cups of the layer pellets, mixed with water to make a mash. Once a day. They must really like the taste of the new feed, because they ate up their bowl of mash I gave them a little while ago pretty fast.

There were 4 eggs in the nest boxes when I returned from TSC. Three good, and one kind of soft, mis-shapen, and had a couple of cracks in it. It wasn't leaking, but the thin shell must have cracked on the way out.

 

[Maddcatter]

I failed to mention that they've been on a all flock feed, 19% protein, and something like 1.5% calcium, not layer feed. With full time access to oyster shells. I think that the problem might be that some of the pullets haven't been eating oyster shells, or realize they need to.

I just returned from tractor supply with a bag of Nutrena Naturewise Layer pellets, 16%, 3.5% calcium (more or less). The new layer feed has live probiotics in it.

Since I don't know for sure who's laying soft shells or how many, I'm mixing about a tablespoon of crushed oyster shell into a couple cups of the layer pellets, mixed with water to make a mash. Once a day. They must really like the taste of the new feed, because they ate up their bowl of mash I gave them a little while ago pretty fast.

There were 4 eggs in the nest boxes when I returned from TSC. Three good, and one kind of soft, mis-shapen, and had a couple of cracks in it. It wasn't leaking, but the thin shell must have cracked on the way out.

Have you tried fermented feed? If you ferment a batch every couple of days, it might help your poops firm up a bit. (Sorry, I skipped to the end of the thread. Idk if someone else has suggested this.)

Your poops don't look terrible, but fermented feed or greek yogurt might be helpful.

Calcium is good, when my birds get off chick feed, I throw a hard boiled egg in my calcium dish to encourage them to check it out... Typically they don't need anything else from me.

Good luck! Keep us updated.

 

[ChicksnMore]

@ChicksnMore
@TropicalBabies
@Eggcessive
@Shetland lover

Thanks for your insights into the soft and/or no shell problem my pullets are having. I had another disheartening experience when I went into the run/coop this morning. A few more soft shells, and a few piles of strange, muddy looking poop.

I agree, extra calcium is needed, and with so many soft shell eggs it has to be more than one pullet laying them.

I think the muddy, brown poop is caused by some of the pullets spending a lot of time in the evenings eating out of the compost piles. Which could be diluting the small amount of calcium in their all flock feed and any oyster shell supplements they eat.

And I realize that new layers might take a while to start laying good eggs consistently, but the amount of defective eggs being layed seems to be out of the ordinary.

Since it's more than one pullet laying defective eggs I decided to treat the whole group of pullets together as a group. I'll limit them to only eating commercial layer feed to which I'll mix in some crushed oyster shells for even more of a calcium boost. No free ranging, no foraging, no snacks either. Hopefully eating only quality feed with extra calcium supplementation will resolve the problem.

I was able to separate the pullets from the rooster this morning, so he'll be living solo while I manage the pullets' problem. He will be fed the all flock feed.

I know I could try to catch them and force feed them calcium tablets every day, but I think managing the problem how I outlined it above makes more sense. Seems much easier, too.

Does this sound like a reasonable and workable plan?

All the chickens are behaving perfectly normal, energetic and healthy this morning. I don't think there's any disease or high parasite load, but I could be wrong.

I apologize for the gross pictures...


View attachment 3604076View attachment 3604077View attachment 3604078View attachment 3604079View attachment 3604080View attachment 3604081View attachment 3604082View attachment 3604083View attachment 3604084

Sounds like a good plan to me . I can't help but wonder if part of the problem is related to production breeds. You've gotten a lot of double yolkers too, and like @Shetland lover was saying about time spent in the reproductive tract...think there might be a relationship there. I have no idea what I'm talking about on this...just thinking out loud...but I'm wondering if the high protein, production breed combo plays a role. Not sure how you'd phrase the question to see if Google has an answer for you...but maybe worth checking to see if high protein plays a role.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Forest did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Spoiler: Shop rat

View attachment 3604118

Slippah is a size 9. And no, not bigger than Koke'e rats. They were bigger and fatter.

Best forest find ever!!!!!View attachment 3604120
And he did not bring it in the house!! Smartest forest find ever...♡

Forest looks like he's ready to roll there What a good boy!

 

[Smokerbill]

Have you tried fermented feed? If you ferment a batch every couple of days, it might help your poops firm up a bit. (Sorry, I skipped to the end of the thread. Idk if someone else has suggested this.)

Your poops don't look terrible, but fermented feed or greek yogurt might be helpful.

Calcium is good, when my birds get off chick feed, I throw a hard boiled egg in my calcium dish to encourage them to check it out... Typically they don't need anything else from me.

Good luck! Keep us updated.

Thanks! I'll consider fermenting some feed if the process I'm using doesn't improve things in the next week or two. Looking at my pictures, the grainy, thick, greenish brown poop might be from one that ate a lot of weeds and grass. The black grainy poop could have been one that loved eating the black compost more than she should have.

They all seem to be doing well today separated from their cockerel. And he's not raising too much of a ruckus either, but I'm sure once his hormone levels rise he'll be getting pretty anxious and frustrated seeing all those pretty ladies that he can't get to. LOL

 

[Smokerbill]

Sounds like a good plan to me . I can't help but wonder if part of the problem is related to production breeds. You've gotten a lot of double yolkers too, and like @Shetland lover was saying about time spent in the reproductive tract...think there might be a relationship there. I have no idea what I'm talking about on this...just thinking out loud...but I'm wondering if the high protein, production breed combo plays a role. Not sure how you'd phrase the question to see if Google has an answer for you...but maybe worth checking to see if high protein plays a role.

I was wondering the same thing. I'm sure these farm store chicks were bred for high egg production rates, and that could very well be while their immature reproductive tracts are trying to push out so many eggs.

I fed them the high protein feed because of the amount of time I was letting them forage in the yard, and was giving them snacks/scratch at times. I thought it would balance things out protein-wise.

Like you said, it may be that my pullets were bred to do best on a 16% protein feed. Maybe the higher protein was throwing things out of whack, and causing their egg laying machinery to work too fast.