[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi All,

             I have recently set up a breeding pen for a trio of birds but as yet the hens are not laying. The cockerel is last years hatch and although he has treaded one of my other hens a couple of times he has not found her vent.

              I am feeding them layers pellets and greens when they are penned in and they free range at weekends.

Should I be feeding anything else to aid fertility?

Buffy

[cluckingnuts]

Some people do change to breeders pellets. If you are otherwise happy at the way they are being fed why not give them some germinated wheat.

[doganjo]

I have recently set up a breeding pen for a trio of birds but as yet the hens are not laying. The cockerel is last years hatch and although he has treaded one of my other hens a couple of times he has not found her vent.

Buffy

And you watch them 24/7?  I think there was a similar thread on goats recently

[Rosemary]

he has not found her vent.

I have a feeling I'm going to regret this, but how do you know?

[Daveravey]

 

[ballingall]

How old are the hens? January is one of the coldest and darkest months- it is quite likely they aren't treading or even going to think about laying until the end of Feb. If the hens were hatched early last year, they should have laid through the winter- if hatched late last year it is unlikely they will start laying until end of Feb/ Mar (depends where you are).

I have a  breeding pen of bantamns of which none are laying, and I have another pen of laying hens, of which 1 is laying an egg about every 4-5 days. But all my hens are now 2 years or older, and their laying is never as good.


Beth

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi Beth,

Perhaps you are right about it being a bit early in the year. I only have one hen laying which is not one of my breeding females. The hens that I want to breed from were hatched last year and were laying up until their moult in Nov.The cockerel was also last years hatch. 

Perhaps he will get better with practice. I will have to wait and see what the fertility rates are once they start laying and adjust their feed accordingley.


Buffy

[landroverroy]

Buffy, in reply to your query about layers pellets, no they don't contain enough for hatching eggs. Breeding pellets contain more minerals and vitamins. Eggs from hens fed ONLY layers pellets have a much lower hatching rate and often produce chicks with deformaties, of which the most common is crooked legs due to riboflavin deficiency. I see that you do give yours greens and freerange access, but even so I would at least mix some breeders pellets in with the layers just to make sure, and particularly if you are selling the hatching eggs.    

[doganjo]

Thanks for that post, Roy.  I hatched duck eggs earlier this year with varying results including low hatch rates, weak chicks which did not make it past pipping, and splayed legs - I had thought it was lack of temperature control in the incubator or incorrect humidity - now I know why!  I just decided to hatch the eggs using a friend's incubator to see what we'd get as normally the eggs are eaten.  I'll know if I try it again to feed my female ducks differently

[Castle Farm]

I have never given any of my birds breeders or layers pellets and hatch 400+ every year and have done so since the 1970's.

There is different opinions of how to feed birds and the levels of protein contained in them. As long as your birds are fit and can get some sunshine and grass or free-range they will produce viable hatching eggs.

Oddly chickens have been reproducing for hundreds if not thousands of years without any signs of pelleted feed (and still do in some places).

[katie]

Do you just give yours corn, then, CF?

[Castle Farm]

All on my web site Katie

[princesspiggy]

why and how?
my sussex are just starting to lay after june hatch

[cluckingnuts]

Germination (at 1-4 days) neutralizes enzyme inhibitors. Makes it easier to digest + the nutritional levels increase 2-3 times.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks Landroverroy,

       at this time of year they only get to range at the weekends when I am around so their nutrition is restricted to what I supply them. I will add some breeders pellets as you suggest, dont suppose it can do any harm...not sure it will improve my little roosters aim though


Buffy