2 Chickens Not Laying, Eggs without Shells, & Now blood :/

[Leeloo]

A couple of months ago, I bought a chicken drinker at a poultry show to help provide cleaner water more easily to my hens, especially if I go away for a night or two. I haven't gotten it hung yet because I think I will have to reposition the door on the Eglu Go run so that the new drinker won't block the exit. I currently have it on the end, but I think it would be best on the side so I could hang the drinker in the middle of the run. Also, would the run roof support the weight of a drinker? It's not large (2-liter max), but water can be heavy. I worry that the run panels are just attached with plastic clips and might not be able to support the weight. I've contemplated rigging up a support above the run, perhaps out of PVC, but that would take more time and effort! Any tips from someone else who has hung water buckets would be appreciated!

 

Also, I've found that my hens aren't liking eating from the grub lately. I thought it was getting a little grimy so I washed it, but still no luck. I bought new feed thinking the old feed was stale, but their appetites didn't improve. They just wanted out to free range. I tossed some of the new feed in a flat metal pan yesterday and they dug in so I think they aren't liking the feeder. It might be a combination of not liking their vision obscured by the top and the humidity buildup in the feeder. Has anyone else had this problem? I could try bringing in the feeder at night to let it dry out and keep slugs out. I have been leaving it out all the time so that I don't have to run out there before work. I have an early schedule!

[Lewis]

I think the roof will hold the waterer - I've hung feeders from mine several times

 

If you've not sure about the strength of the clips, although they should be fine, you could try using cable ties/zip ties... is really quick and easy and saves fiddling around with more clips.

 

 

You could try getting a more open topped feeder but there should be no reason they go off it. They can go in the dishwasher if you have one.

Whats the climate like over there at the moment? If its cooler like it is here then maybe they are eating less as they are moulting and going off lay for a few weeks?

[Leeloo]

Thanks for the input! I actually did buy more clips from Omlet when I ordered a heavy duty cover to replace the rotted one that came with the Eglu. I guess I could put more out to reinforce the panels! The weather is mild, but damp, right now. In northern Florida, we tend to have alternating weeks of warmish and coldish weather in the winter! One of the hens does seem to be going into a molt. Her head is white and powdery like she has dandruff and she's not laying. She is the one that dug in most eagerly when I just tossed the pellets in a deli carry out pan, though! The other one finished a molt in late autumn and this was after being broody most of the spring and summer so she is finally being productive for a change!

 

I had been letting them free range all day for a few weeks because I felt bad about keeping them cooped up all the time during the work week since the sun sets so early, but I've spotted a hawk stalking them recently and they were hiding in different parts of the yard when I got home Monday so I think it must've gone after them. I'm keeping them locked up again now. Maybe they just started to enjoy scratching for their own food rather than eating from the feeder!

[Leeloo]

Well, I used extra clips to reinforce the section I wanted to hang the new drinker from yesterday and got it put up! It is actually one U.S. gallon which is a bit larger than I'd estimated, but, so far, it seems to be holding. This morning, I tapped the nipples, fed them, and tapped them some more so a drop hung off of one! One of the girls went over and drank from it after she ate so they are figuring it out!

[superkitty]

Who says chickens are dim?!

[Lewis]

Glad to hear it worked

[Leeloo]

Who says chickens are dim?!

 

Sometimes I start to think their intelligence is underrated... then they try to eat out of the feeder from outside the run!

[superkitty]

Mine aren't sensible enough to try and peck from outside the run...if one is inside eating and one is outside, the outside one will just sprint up and down the outside of the run, bokbokbokking wildly...and completely ignoring the open run door (which is how they got outside in the first place )

 

Ok, so maybe they are a bit dim sometimes.