Some one might know the answer

[tigress60]

My chooks are coming up to be two years old. they are black rocks we have 2 birds.
Last nov they started moulting so stopped laying which we expected as it was their first proper moult.
But even now we have only had 3 eggs from them since nov
they are on layers pellets mixed with corn, they also have mealy worms green scraps ,bread pilchards once a week
They are always clean and dry in fact only thing that has changed since before they stopped laying is the addition of pilchards which they seem to love
So can anyone suggest why they are not laying before reluctantly i have to cull the birds as we all love them to bits

[shirlthegirl43]

I would suggest removing the mixed corn and only giving a very little of that as an afternoon/bedtime treat. I have read that too much corn can make the hens fat and then they don't lay so well. About an eggcup full of corn is enough per day.

[MaureenHall]

Are you over-feeding them? I know it's lovely to give our girls treats and variety but unfortunately fat hens don't lay I think I'd stop giving all extras for a while and let them have just layers pellets, that contains everything in balanced proportions that the hens need. If you can't bring yourself to do that, then give them a small handful of mixed corn in the evenings so they go to bed with a full crop but still cut out everything else

[Bramble-Poultry]

i would suggest that you stop the pilchards. they are probably packed in oil within the tin and therefore will be high in fat. DO NOT GIVE HENS FISH PACKED IN BRINE as birds can not cope with salt at all.

We dont give much in the way of corn, only as has been said above as a bedtime treat etc, or to recouperating birds that need the energy boost. Each bird requires around 100-125g of balanced layers ration each day, anything on top of that may lead the bird to run to fat and then it wont lay. by all means suppliment with some greens etc, but make sure that the birds get enough layers as thats where all their basic needs for laying will be met.

[tigress60]

Thanks for your help they are on a diet as form now

[Bramble-Poultry]

oooo they wont thank you for that. gone from a la carte menu to basic food only! but it is for their own good

[Glutton4...]

This happened to a friend of mine. Turns out she was feeding them on corn alone, nothing else. She said one hen was so fat it could barely walk. They're on Layers' pellets alone now, and she said she'll only reintroduce a handful of corn at bedtime in the autumn, as they will, hopefully, have lost weight by then.

[RichmondHens]

This happened to a friend of mine. Turns out she was feeding them on corn alone, nothing else. She said one hen was so fat it could barely walk. They're on Layers' pellets alone now, and she said she'll only reintroduce a handful of corn at bedtime in the autumn, as they will, hopefully, have lost weight by then.

I think there is still a big thing about people thinking chickens need corn, because that's what they used to get "in the old days". But generally those were chickens that roamed round the farmyard and fields from dawn till dusk and therefore got all the protein (and exercise) they needed from foraging. Corn chucked out am and pm (which most people did, including my dad) therefore was perfectly ok. But for today's penned birds, we have to provide a balanced diet in the form of pellet, and save corn for treats only.

[BUFFS]

i fell for the old way of giving corn etc,since the advice on here is to limit treats to the late afternoon,i have found they lay better and i still give them a treat in late afternoon,it started with the terrible weather,i started giving them some cheapo rice,kept them fueled on the long nights,they still get some(a lot less) with diced carrot/cabbage/kale/sweetcorn and tattie peelings(cooked) when available,they get some spice once a week and are now starting to look really sleek,but it was so easy to be tempted to overfeed and the first thing that suffered was egg production...i was put right by reading these pages,so theres hope for everybody.....

[tigress60]

Well they are on a diet adter 3 days this is the result
Can someone tell me wat it is please (ik know they are eggs or similar this all came from one chook in day

[Flummery]

It's called a lash and is part of the reproductive system that is shed occasionally. Many of them do it and it's not suposed to be a problem. I've only even had one and it came with an egg (stuck to it actually). I wonder if there have been so many because the chook was overweight?

I hope they soon sort themselves out and get back on the egg production for you.

[tigress60]

Alas 10 days later our chook has passed on to chooky heaven .

[Flummery]

Sad news. Sorry to hear that.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Sorry to hear your news.

[frias]

Sorry about your hen. Does that mean you have one on it's own now? She's going to need some friends.