|
Ask Albert Poultry Questions and Answers
Thank you for your reply.
I found it most helpful, and am reassured that I am not the cause of the shell-less eggs through neglect of any kind.
We are fond of her, and will keep her as long as she continues to enjoy her life.
Yours, Gill
Gill, First a word about battery hens. These are highbrids (more than one breed crossed for maximum egg production), and they will have been fed a high energy ration, a long day (at least 12 hours more likely 16 hours via artificial lights) to gain maximum egg production for approximately 12 months; at the end of this time they are pretty well worn out. If you are lucky you might be able to get hold of some that have only laid for 9-10 months, these fare a bit better. They would need to go through a moult and about 3 months rest before laying again, and even then their shell quality will not be too good.
Free range birds (reared and kept on the range) who lay for about 8-9 months (early spring to autumn) always need to moult and rest during the short days of late autumn and winter, even these birds shells deteriorate after a couple of laying seasons, and they rarely lay an egg every day as caged hybrids do.
I feel I must be absolutely honest and tell you that I don't think this hen will lay shelled eggs this season, she may after moulting but I feel it's unlikely. You aren't doing anything wrong it's just that this hen has produced so many eggs whilst in a cage that she is unable to utilise the the calcium any more.
I do hope you will carry on keeping hens, perhaps try one or two birds of a different breed.
Albert
Dear Albert - I own 2 ex-battery hens. I have had them since August 2009. They have both laid well after a slow start while their condition improved. They are allowed acces to a large garden daily, grass, soil etc.
One hen has now laid about 20 eggs either with out shells or with soft rubbery sheaths. She has lost her feathers round her vent - no lice, and seems well in herself. I feed them on layers mash, they have access to grit and to oyster shell. They have a few chickpeas, sweetcorn and mixed corn, spinach and pasta etc. but not all of these at once and not every day. They have had cod liver oil and poultry spice daily thoughout the winter. Also I crush their empty shells and bake them before feeding them back to my hens.
I would like to know if I should be feeding a mineral supplement in order that this hen can utilise the calcium she has in the oyster shells? Can you recomend a course of action?
I am so new to hen keeping but desperately anxious to do the right thing.
Yours, Gill
Hello Albert,
Perhaps you could help me with a few questions I have on keeping chickens. I recently bought a few chickens and have been feeding them on pellets that I bought from the breeder, I also have some corn that was given to me as a present when should I give the chickens the corn, is it as a little meal before they settle for the night, or anytime? The chickens are about fourteen weeks old. I think they may lay by Xmas, looking forward to that, they are very friendly and nearly eating out of my hand; also regarding red mite, what do you recommend I use on them? As you have already gathered I'm new at this game but looking forward to the results in the future.
Regards
Don Thomas
Albert reply
Don,
Feed your pullets ad lib with 16% protein layers pellets in a feed hopper, give them mixed corn mid-afternoon on the ground to encourage them to forage and scracth. Provide them with fresh clean water EVERY day, this absolutely vital. Give them clean, nesting material, ideally white wood shavings, in their nest boxes now, they should start to lay at about 20 weeks.
Red mite, I have never had this problem, but the best advice I can give you is to keep their hut, especially the nest boxes clean. Clean the dropping board or under their perches every week. Thoroughly clean and disinfect their hut, diluted jeyes fluid is good, once a year in the summer. You can buy lots of products for poultry from Domestic Fowl Trust, including red mite powder and I think they also sell dusting powder for nest boxes and dropping boards.
Finally, chickens are friendly creatures and I spend time talking to mine, obviously they don't understand me but they do chatter back in their own way.
Albert
Albert replyDear Mr Jibson
Firstly the bulling Bluebell, it is usually better to keep the breeds separate because some are more dominant than others, the bluebell is I think bred from the Maran and this is a very dominant breed. She will always be the boss and there isn’t much you can do about it I’m afraid, the others will learn to keep out of her way as much as possible.
Secondly laying, you are right they will start to lay at about 20-21 weeks, you need to provide quiet, clean nests and they usually lay in mid to late mornings, although we have had hens that refuse to lay in the nests and even if they are not let out until 10.00am they hang on to their egg and rush off to the barn as soon as we open the pop-hole. Try to collect their eggs after midday at first if you can so that they aren’t disturbed when they start to lay.
Thirdly diet, they need a staple diet of 16% protein laying pellets, it is important that they have their pellets ad-lib and especially before they are let out in the morning. Give them a handful only of mixed grain in the afternoon or evening. They should also have some flint grit (to aid digestion in their gizzard) and oyster shell for their egg shells. These should be available at all times as the hens will help themselves as and when they need it. Feeding apples is not a good idea as this might upset their digestion, having said that, the odd windfall won’t harm them. I would keep the apples for yourselves. The reason why potatoes aren’t good for hens is the starch in them is indigestible. During the late forties and fifties we fed a mix of BOILED potatoes and laying meal. This bulked up the ration at a time when wheat was in short supply. The important thing was the boiling, it made them more palatable, the hens enjoyed the warm mash mix and any left over was removed as it went mouldy quickly.
One final thought, keep the grass short in the area around their shelter, they usually peck at the grass as soon as they come out in the morning and long grass gets twisted in their crop, they become crop bound and is usually fatal.
Enjoy your poultry, and the wonderful eggs.
Albert
|
