What is going on here?!?

[saraki]

Oops, sorry, comb color looks good, and they feel heavy too. That's why I didn't just automatically worm them.

 

[saraki]

Alright, I've purchased that Rooster Booster dewormer and some vitamin stuff for their water. I'm going to start it tonight after we get home for the next few days. The coop had the spring cleaning today and we should be set to start getting a few more eggs in the next few days. I'm going to put the dewormer in their feed for five days because that's the only information I found on this product. I get the feeling that it's supposed to be a product you use all the time, but at the price point there's no way! In addition, I'm not big on having my birds on meds for no reason.

At this point I am going to continue to update this thread in the event that it becomes useful for anyone else, but I would also love input. Bets on egg numbers are very much acceptable also!

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I really have no personal experience with this, but from reading on here I have seen a lot of people point to the amount of protein the chickens are getting. You said it coincides with their free ranging? Perhaps with free ranging and the extra scraps you give them they might not be getting enough feed to give them enough protein... ? What is the percentage in their feed?

 

[saraki]

I'm not sure on that...they have layer feed from the feed store. They've been "cooped up" with no scraps for two days now, today being the third day. Their food intake is still only about half what it was this winter, but they're not needing to keep themselves as warm now. It will also be their third day on the dewormer and vitamin stuff, although I must say I have still not seen any evidence of worms. Yesterday some chicken ate one of the dye eggs, but somehow didn't get any on their face, so now I am back at the beginning on that. I think I am going to set up my husband's game camera in there for the next few days to see if I can identify a culprit. I got six eggs yesterday, which is up a bit, but still pretty bad for twenty layers.

I will do some research about protein supplementing and give it a go. It's not going to hurt anything, right? Thanks for the idea...I'm thirty weeks pregnant right now and my brain isn't always functioning as it should!

 

[saraki]

Their layer feed is 16% protein. I am going to try to get them a boost if I can get to the feed store tonight, or I may let them have all of my tuna fish stash.

 

[katbriar]

Why would you consider culling your flock if egg production is likely to increase if you just wait? You'd have to put food and money and time into replacement birds. The exact same solution as waiting and these gals are likely to take less time to get going again than new ones.

I'm perplexed. Unless you just want out.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

Their layer feed is 16% protein. I am going to try to get them a boost if I can get to the feed store tonight, or I may let them have all of my tuna fish stash.

I think our feed is grower feed, but it's 22% protein. I've heard of people using grower feed and then supplementing calcium on the side. Possibly something to try.

 

[saraki]

Kat-if I just wanted out, I'd have gone ahead and culled them and not wasted my time typing out the post. Admittedly, I'm feeling some pressure to get the issue sorted now rather than later due to my pregnancy and the fact that in about eight weeks I will have three kids under the age of three and not a lot of time to fix the problem if it actually is a problem and not just a wait it out type of situation. I enjoy having our chickens for a ton of different reasons, but ultimately they are livestock, not pets. I'd probably keep a few hens around anyway just for us, but it's hard for my customers to justify making an extra stop for my eggs if I consistently don't have them.

I'm also looking forward to just popping a stew hen in the pressure cooker after the new baby comes, so I don't mind culling a few birds to feed my family that way. Nothing goes to waste here.

I ran into a gentleman this evening who is starting a feed mill. He is putting out his first bags of feed next week, and I have his information. We are looking at changing food to get them some more protein, so it was great timing that he introduced himself and let me know what he was doing. The only other thing I can think of is that maybe it's related to the CFL bulb in the coop for those few hours of supplemental lighting. Does anyone have any experience with that?