Why is nobody laying?!

[NatJ]

Food: I feed them fermented 16% layer feed and then turn them out into our pasture for the day where they get grass and bugs all day. They get some treats, but pretty much only fruits, veggies, and the occasional mealworms. I'm extremely strict about carbs. They do get a couple small handfuls of corn to bribe them home at night. I have crushed eggshell on offer for them to get calcium.

I can't tell: do they have the layer feed available all the time?

Or do they only get it in the morning, and then eat it up and have empty feeders for the rest of the day?

If they are running out partway through the day, they may need more total feed than what they are getting. If it is always available, then of course that is not your problem.

Habitat: They have a nice coop with plenty of space and several nest boxes. Our pasture is about 1 acre and they share it with our goats. The pasture is mostly open, with only two pine trees and a tire playground for the goats. I have searched in the pine straw around the trees and looked inside every tire for hidden nests. The chickens cannot get to the goat sheds to lay in there.

Have you tried locking them into their coop for about two days? That will probably give a good answer to whether they have hidden nests, and whether any other kind of animal might be stealing & eating eggs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
You can usually tell who is laying by checking their butts (vent size/shape, and distance between the bones there.) You could take a flashlight after dark, grab each one from the roost, and have a look. The difference between layers and not-layers is usually pretty obvous. If you have a rooster, he is a good example of a not-layer. The hen with the biggest red comb is probably a good example of a layer.

I used to be really bad about putting eggshell out, but I keep it on offer almost all the time (there are occasions where they go a few days without).

Calcium can make a big difference in whether there are any eggs for you to find (softshell eggs usually get broken & eaten). The layer feed should be providing about the right amount of calcium, but I would definitely try to keep eggshells or oyster shells available too.

Hm, I didn't even think of chick feed. The only chick feed I can get a hold of at a decent price is medicated. I know you can't drink goat's milk if they're fed medicated food, do you know if you can eat the eggs of hens on medicated feed?

That would depend on the medication. If it is amprolium, then yes it is safe for you to eat the eggs from the hens.

Chick starter does not have as much calcium as layer feed. So if you give them chick starter, plan to buy some oyster shell and keep it available at all times. Chick starter with no extra calcium would only have about 1/3 as much calcium as layers need.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

I can't tell: do they have the layer feed available all the time?

Or do they only get it in the morning, and then eat it up and have empty feeders for the rest of the day?

If they are running out partway through the day, they may need more total feed than what they are getting. If it is always available, then of course that is not your problem.


Have you tried locking them into their coop for about two days? That will probably give a good answer to whether they have hidden nests, and whether any other kind of animal might be stealing & eating eggs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
You can usually tell who is laying by checking their butts (vent size/shape, and distance between the bones there.) You could take a flashlight after dark, grab each one from the roost, and have a look. The difference between layers and not-layers is usually pretty obvous. If you have a rooster, he is a good example of a not-layer. The hen with the biggest red comb is probably a good example of a layer.


Calcium can make a big difference in whether there are any eggs for you to find (softshell eggs usually get broken & eaten). The layer feed should be providing about the right amount of calcium, but I would definitely try to keep eggshells or oyster shells available too.


That would depend on the medication. If it is amprolium, then yes it is safe for you to eat the eggs from the hens.

Chick starter does not have as much calcium as layer feed. So if you give them chick starter, plan to buy some oyster shell and keep it available at all times. Chick starter with no extra calcium would only have about 1/3 as much calcium as layers need.

Okay, so they only get the feed first thing in the morning, but I'm feeding exactly the amount they can eat in the day, plus with being free-range they almost always have stuff in their crops (I've watched them for months).

I can't really lock them into the coop, but I am 100% sure there are no hidden nests. It can't be any other kind of animal. I collect the eggs every night and we are in and out all day with our two big dogs and never see any animals. And we can see the pasture from our house all day.

 

[FunClucks]

You said they're in with the goats. Could the goats be eating their eggs? They'll eat pretty much anything...

If you have a coop camera, might set it up on a pole or something in the acreage to survey an area they hang out in during the day. See if you can find a culprit (of whatever type).

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

You said they're in with the goats. Could the goats be eating their eggs? They'll eat pretty much anything...

If you have a coop camera, might set it up on a pole or something in the acreage to survey an area they hang out in during the day. See if you can find a culprit (of whatever type).

You know, I didn't think of the goats, but no, they can't be.

 

[NatJ]

Okay, so they only get the feed first thing in the morning, but I'm feeding exactly the amount they can eat in the day, plus with being free-range they almost always have stuff in their crops (I've watched them for months).

If no other solution turns up, you could try offering more feed, to see if it makes a difference. If it does help, it probably would take several weeks to show any results.

"Stuff in their crops" does not tell whether they are getting enough actual food value. As an example, green grass has very few calories compared to grass seed or bugs, which means it can vary from one season to another, and it is not easy to tell how much is enough at any given time.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

If no other solution turns up, you could try offering more feed, to see if it makes a difference. If it does help, it probably would take several weeks to show any results.

"Stuff in their crops" does not tell whether they are getting enough actual food value. As an example, green grass has very few calories compared to grass seed or bugs, which means it can vary from one season to another, and it is not easy to tell how much is enough at any given time.

Oh, that's true. I didn't think of that.

I know a guy who feeds his girls cat food in addition to regular feed to up their protein. Anybody have thoughts on that?

 

[LaFleche]

Oh, that's true. I didn't think of that.

I know a guy who feeds his girls cat food in addition to regular feed to up their protein. Anybody have thoughts on that?

Why cat food if you could just buy them higher protein chicken feed?

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Why cat food if you could just buy them higher protein chicken feed?

Because it is cheaper. I ran the calculations to find out how much cat food I need to adjust the protein to 20%. I'm willing to do what it takes, but if I can do it as cheaply as possible, I'd rather do that.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Because it is cheaper. I ran the calculations to find out how much cat food I need to adjust the protein to 20%. I'm willing to do what it takes, but if I can do it as cheaply as possible, I'd rather do that.

I know it may affect some of the other stuff they need, but this guy swears that it works and he's had chickens for a very long time.

 

[LaFleche]

I know it may affect some of the other stuff they need, but this guy swears that it works and he's had chickens for a very long time.

Well... to each their own, I guess.


Feeding them cat food for a few days in case of illness is one thing, but on a regular basis, a clear no from me.

I would definitely not want to eat eggs from hens that were fed with cat or dog food.