Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Mollystar]

Hello everyone

 

I have 10 chickens in a cube

 

I only intended to have 8 but due to raising 6 from week old chicks, suspected 2 to be cocks(for the pot). Now it looks like all 10 are ladies

 

2 are being given as a Christmas pressy to my Nephew once a hut is sorted.

 

 

Right problem - 2 of the older chickens have laid 3 eggs between them, the last being 2 weeks ago, nothing since . I give them a bowl of layers pelets & include a tub of growers for the younger babies & now limit all treats to a few grapes or tin of corn late in the afternoon.

 

Is this normal? can I do anything to improve the chance of regular eggs?

 

Thanks in advance

[alison]

I'm not an expert, but wanted to say Hi, and welcome!

 

It's frustrating waiting for eggs, I have 7 hens and sometimes get 8 eggs or 5 and I don't know who is not laying!

[Egluntyne]

Hello and welcome.

 

You don't say how old they all are, but I imagine that if the older girls are scoffing the growers pellets it will affect the laying as the content is designed to promote growth rather than egg formation.

[Mollystar]

Thanks for the welcome

 

I have 2 that laid the 3, around 24 weeks

 

3 that are around 20 weeks

3 that are 16-17 weeks

& 2 that are 15weeks.

 

I know the layers pellets are getting eaten more than the growers so hope big 2 are getting the nutrients...very frustraiting

 

I would put them all on layers soon but have a massive sack still of growers.

[alison]

I mixed my growers and layers, and Frank at Thornes told me to keep them on growers until all laying and then mix the feed until you need a new bag and then get layers.

[Mollystar]

I'll start mixing it Alison, maybe 70%layers & 30% growers, it's so frustraiting.

[Egluntyne]

The very young ones shouldn't be on layers yet. The extra calcium is not good for them at this stage.

 

In view of their ages, I would have them on the growers, and accept that you might have to wait a little longer for the eggs.

 

You could put them all on layers when the little ones are around 18 weeks, so not too long.