l_ouise Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Hello. I made a post about my chickens not eating their pellets and someone commented that it may reduce their egg productivity and although i want happy chickens i want it to be balanced with productivity. I don't have enough chickens to overlook a significant drop in productivity per individual. However, if them laying less eggs per week meant that they maintained a good productivity over a longer period of their lifespan - it won't matter so much. So if for example, they laid 4 per week instead of 5 per week might they maintain this productivity for 5 years instead of 4 years? Or regardless of whether they are going to lay 7 per week or 2 per week, they are going to dry up at 4 years? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Apparently chickens have it 'programmed' into them how many eggs they are going to lay over a lifetime. How this happens I have no idea. So trying to regulate their pellet/mash intake is unlikely to significantly affect how many they lay although it is true they need a balanced diet and not have a significant worm burden or be ill, in order to lay normally for that particular bird. The trouble with chooks is that anything can happen to them (and frequently does) in terms of illness so even if you had somehow managed to artifically 'recalibrate' their laying, there's no guarantee your bird will live longer to produce them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Yes and No is the answer. Hybrids are selectively bred as prolific layers, particularly in their first laying season. They can quite literally "burn out". Pure breeds tend to lay less often, but for longer. I doubt that trying to slow down a hybrid would alter her future that much, but then again, I don't know anyone who has ever tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Apparently chickens have it 'programmed' into them how many eggs they are going to lay over a lifetime. How this happens I have no idea. They're born with a number of immature eggs (ovaries) and so can only lay that number of eggs ... they can't make any more than that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Thanks Lewis - its long been one of life's little mysteries, the world of the chicken just isn't straightforward is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
