Help with my Isa Browns

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hey all,

I've got four chooks at home, one gorgeous 2 and a half year old Australorp and 3, 18 month old Isa Browns. The Australorp has missed only three days in laying eggs this year, but the other three stopped laying some four months ago when they started moltting. Why might they not be???

I've searched a few chook sites, but none of the causes they suggest are applicable to my birds, and I also can't figure out why the 'Browns aren't laying and the Austra' is, . Feed's good, pen is large, and they get plenty of greens and food scraps.

The Australorp did stop laying for a few weeks last winter, but came back sooner than these other birds - she's an egg laying monster! Nearly 100g eggs very single day!!!

The 'Browns were doing well until the molt. Should I wait patiently a little more?

Mental.

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

Hello
It sounds like your browns have a bit of a calcium shortage due to a big moult. They sacrifice laying to make feathers, Australorps aren't as vulnerable, I guess. Keep giving the girls lots of greens rich in calcium. Also calcium supplement. Do you use laying pellets? They contain extra calcium. My Australorps were great layers most of the year. Sometimes henhouse politics can cause laying strikes! Every time mine got slack a new arrival would spur them on - if that didn't,t work the sight of the axe usually did the job. They eventually figure out it,s an empty threat :-)

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Ta for the help Warren.

I do give them layer pellets too, but the beggars pick out the seed and won't touch the pellets. I've withheld other feed, but the dummies still won't go the pellets,

I'll keep up the greens. The local veggie shop is very kind in keeping all the green scraps for me to take for the chooks. Stops some mindless land fill, and what the birds don't eat, or spoils too soon, the worms chow down on.

[Poita (Peter)]

I grind up eggshells and they eat those as well and it gets their calcium up.
Make sure you grind up the shells, don't just put broken shells in or they sometimes get the idea of eating thier own eggs. As long as the shells are smashed up enough they don't seem to recognise them and its an easy way to get some calcium in.

Kale, turnip greens and brocolli are the highest in calcium I think.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Ta Peter.

Cluck, cluck!

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Originally Posted by Poita

I grind up eggshells and they eat those as well and it gets their calcium up.
Make sure you grind up the shells, don't just put broken shells in or they sometimes get the idea of eating thier own eggs. As long as the shells are smashed up enough they don't seem to recognise them and its an easy way to get some calcium in.

Kale, turnip greens and brocolli are the highest in calcium I think.

I did this as well with good results.
Another way to get Calcium into their diets is to grind up chalk and mix it through the seed (my chooks won't eat the pellets either-fussy creatures).

Chucking in a rooster also helped with laying. Hens are moody birds in my experience and despite their protestations, seem to enjoy a rooster in the mix.
If you don't want the aggro of a rooster 365, you can probably borrow one for a week or so just to get the ball rolling.

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi Alexander,

I don't know a great deal about chooks. My parents were from farms. I grew up in suburbia. We had chooks geese and ducks.

There was always shell grit for the poultry. My Mother was very shrewd and a skinflint. She used to collect the shell grit from the beach. Washed it thoroughly and I remember never having no laying issues.
Each time new shell grit arrived the chooks went nuts over it.

Calcium Carbonate, makes up a large proportion of sea shells. Shell grit is just tiny sea shells.

Also the soil that the chooks used to fossick and scratch in is high in lime stone content. More Calcium.

The chooks loved live insects as well. A friend of mine feeds his chooks on occasions mince meat. High in protein, low in Calcium.
Crushed dog pelleted food contains both protein and minerals, Calcium.

Maybe crushing the laying pellets and adding to the seed food may help.

Have the eggs in the past been thin shelled? Its an indicator that something is not right.

Hope you solve the issue.

Cheers

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Thanks Marty.

Actually, the one that is laying her eggs are thin shelled.

I like the suggestions that have been made. They are all easy to implement too. Particularly grinding up the pellets they refuse to eat. There's so much of it - damned birdies.

I'm always amazed at the frenzy that a bit of meat creates with the birds!

I occasionally add a crushed clove of garlic to their feed too. The next day the birds seem to have a bit more 'pick me up'.

A rooster isn't an option for us! I just can't see our neighbours being THAT obliging for a whole week