Would Changing Feed Contribute To Fewer Eggs?

[klyn]

I'm trying to figure how my feed choice may be effecting laying in one of my chickens. My gold sexlink was the first to start laying a couple of months ago. She was laying daily for several weeks. Most of my other birds are laying now but Miss Piggy (GSL) hasn't laid for about a week now and for a week before that she only laid every few days. In that time we were able to get a good price on some pellet layer feed (we were using crumbles before). Both feeds types were from the same store and were even the same brand. I noticed that Miss Piggy won't eat the pellets. As her name implies, she was never been a picky eater previously. We mixed some crumbles in with the pellets but she pecks around the pellets gold mining for the crumbles. Could the change in diet (or her pickiness) be contributing to her not laying? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

 

[BantamLover21]

If she isn't eating enough of the pellets, that stress could cause her to stop laying. Multiple feed switches over a short amount of time can also cause a slow down in egg production, but since you only changed once, I don't think that is the case. Does she act normal otherwise? Loss of appetite and/or a halt in egg laying can be a symptom that something is wrong.

 

[klyn]

She seems to be acting normally otherwise.

 

[Aronia]

I am not sure what the problem is.

 

[klyn]

Last night and earlier today I took a small container of just crumbles out to the run to see how she reacted. She acted as though she was starving and ate voraciously for several minutes. She pecked at any of the other chickens who tried to get any until she'd had her fill. I am thinking that I will make sure she gets enough of the crumbles everyday until the pellets are gone and avoid getting them in the future. Hopefully, I will see a difference in a day or so. Any other advice?

 

[krista74]

You could try mashing some of the pellets in hot water, and gradually bring the consistency back to full pellets?

She might get used to them that way?

- Krista

 

[klyn]

Thanks for the suggestion Krista! I have a flock of 7 and Miss Piggy is the only one that refuses the pellets. I guess they each have their own personalities.

 

[klyn]

Good news! I went out just now and found her in the nesting box!

 

[BantamLover21]

Good news! I went out just now and found her in the nesting box!

Excellent!