Keri Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 So, we have 4 hybrid hens. We bought 2x 21 week old chickens last Sept or so, then added another 2x 13 week old babies this June. The babies are now about 18 weeks old. I've been feeding them all growers pellets. They have free access to a bowl of grit and oyster shell and they free range. One of the older chickens has been laying reliably, the other one was having soft shelled eggs but has stopped laying eggs at all for at least 2 weeks now. The no-egg chicken is fine and healthy. She is still ticked off about the babies, but for the last few weeks has stopped evicting them from the coop at night. So, I don't think there's any stress causing this. I just can't understand why, for 1) the soft shell problem and for 2) the no-egg problem. She goes into the nest box and sits every day, but no eggs materialise. I've looked in all the bushes, no eggs there either. Is she just simply taking a break - they laid all winter? On the soft shell problem, I tried some of that shell improver powder - which they refused to eat even when mixed into their favourite porridge! Even although I still have loads of growers pellets left, I thought that perhaps I should trying moving them all over to layers pellets now. The babies are old enough at 18 weeks. Perhaps that's the missing link on the no-eggs freeloader? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Their first moult will be around 18 months, so about now. They won't lay when they are moulting as they need all the protein for new feathers so it's likely they will all stop laying. I don't switch from growers to layers until the first one lays. If the layers are getting to the growers pellets that would explain thin shells as layers have 4% Calcium and growers only 1%. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Beantree said: Their first moult will be around 18 months, so about now. They won't lay when they are moulting as they need all the protein for new feathers so it's likely they will all stop laying. I don't switch from growers to layers until the first one lays. If the layers are getting to the growers pellets that would explain thin shells as layers have 4% Calcium and growers only 1%. Ok, thanks. Hadn't thought about moulting. She doesn't seem to be showing any signs of that happening yet though. I can't separate the food as they're all in 1 area. Funny that the growers pellets aren't affecting the other chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Perhaps she's the only one with a taste for growers/ rearer pellets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 Perhaps, although, they all tuck in to it and are great at giving me "the look" when I don't top the food bowl up quick enough. I'm not that worried about it as she is healthy and happy. It's just puzzling me. If she starts moulting then that will answer the question, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
