Solitary chicken - need advice

[libby22]

I currently have two gingernut rangers, Pickles and Pepper and one ex-battery hen, Bonnie. Bonnie is two and a half and is like a laying machine. She is quite small and after 12 months has finally become bossy! However, the eggs just keep coming, even now when she should really be having a winter break, she is laying 6 eggs a week. All of the girls get the same food, grit, garlic powder, tonics, everything identical and were wormed a couple of months ago with Flubenvet.

 

Pickles and Pepper are exactly two years old. They are quite large chickens - or perhaps it is because Bonnie is petite I don't know. However, they have had laying problems on and off for a few months and I was hoping they would rest over the winter - I think their laying equipment is just worn out and they have passed small lumps of tissue recently when trying to lay - only about the size of a penny or smaller. Pepper has been coping beautifully with a full moult, Pickles has yet to start. However, both of them today have struggled with laying a soft or scrunched up egg - the first for about two weeks or so and I wish I could do something for them.

 

Should they still be on layers pellets - even though not laying? I appreciate they need all the protein and vitamins for feather replacement - but am I giving their system too much of the right thing to induce laying, which then causes them difficulties?

 

I would be grateful for any advice.

 

Thanks.

[LunaKiw1]

Bumping this up as I too am interested in what older non-laying chooks are best eating. Our 2 hybrids (now 3) only potter around now and are still on layers mash. Since we started added poultry spice they've perked up a bit but I do wonder if there is an alternative to 'layers' feed that would suit their sedentary, non-laying lifestyle better these days.

[Chickabee]

If you go to page 2 of the posts, there is a very helpful post about feeding older non laying hens

[libby22]

Thanks very much for that. I have had a good read and have ordered some growers pellets as I can see a few of you feed this to your girls over the winter.

 

Thanks again.

[Grandmashazzie]

Yes thank you I found that interesting too.Have 9 ex batts and only getting around 3 eggs per day some are very thin,I presume now they're around 30 months some have reached the end of their laying.Would it give them a wee boost and fatten them up to go through the winter( not for the pot) if they went on growers?

[The Dogmother]

It has slightly more protein and doesn't actively encourage laying. Depends on what you're after, but a good quality poultry tonic in their water would help; I use either the Nettex vitamin boost one or Life-Guard.

[Grandmashazzie]

Oh thank you DM I give them ACV for one week each month,and give them poultry tonic in one container and water in other,they seem to go for water most,perhaps I should not give them a choice to make sure they drink their tonic.

[The Dogmother]

You're right; just give them one drinker and they'll get on with it. Chickens are fickle creatures and giving them choices isn't always a good idea

[staceychristie]

You're right; just give them one drinker and they'll get on with it. Chickens are fickle creatures and giving them choices isn't always a good idea

 

They are mad really, give ours lovely clean fresh water daily, and they prefer to drink from the odd muddy puddle. Yuk.

Try mixing a little Cod Liver Oil to help with feathers. Only use a small bit on the feed, otherwise it's too greasy.

 

Stacey