Egg eating!

[Glutton4...]

One week gone and my eight ex-batts have settled in (taken over!) and seem to look a little less bedraggled. Well, that is, unless I've just got used to them.

I've been following threads on here and they now have a windbreak and a parasol to protect them from some of the elements. A long branch leaning up against one of the trees for them to perch on. An old cat-litter tray of sharp sand to play with and a hanging basket of various brassicas suspended from the same tree - Spoilt or what?

My only concern is egg eating - I thought that was my job.

I've ordered rubber dummies to try and encourage them to lay in the nest boxes, but they seem to just lay where they like and if I'm not there to grab them, they eat them.

Shall I fill one with Tabasco Sauce or Wasabi or something?

[lynda66]

filling them with something that tastes revolting is supposed to work, and you definitely want to nip it in the bud, before it gets to be a habit ...... good luck

[Glutton4...]

Thanks Lynda - that's what I thought.

I've doubled their ration in case they were hungry, so they now leave a little, but today is the first day I've noticed egg remnants - they're good at hiding the evidence - I thought they had stopped laying to grow feathers!

[frias]

I think the rubber or china egg would work better than tabasco. They seem to like hot things. My chillies and horseradish have been eaten by mine.
My ex-batts will eat a softie but I try to remove anything as soon as I see it cos I think an egg eating habit is hard to break.
I fill the food hopper up to the top and the girls can have as much as they want. Treats are always preferable though.

[Glutton4...]

Thanks Frias.

I'll double-up again on both rations and treats. The dummy eggs arrived today, so fingers crossed!

[Bephlam]

Good luck Glutton, I believe it's a hard habit to nip in the bud...but I'm quite sure distraction should help. And, of course, checking more regularly for eggs...so they aren't lying about for them to munch!!

I've heard of success stories with the hot sauce inside, etc - so it's worth a shot if you can't get anything else to work. Do they have access to grit, etc??

[frias]

Thanks Frias.

I'll double-up again on both rations and treats. The dummy eggs arrived today, so fingers crossed!

Not too many treats. I just meant they prefered them. They need to fill up with first mash/pellets before they have their treats.

[MaureenHall]

Mine do this when they've laid a thin-shelled egg, obviously easier to break! Make sure they've got extra calcium in their diet to make the shells harder. I use ground up egg shells and very occasionally limestone flour. They also have unlimited access to shell and grit, and have some poultry spice in their mash on Saturdays

[Glutton4...]

Triffic - got to stay and monitor/save egg production - another excuse to not go to work - I've always wanted to be a kept woman!

(Puts Poultry spice on shopping list)

I've been feeding them warm mashed layer's pellets, with cooked spud-peelings all mixed together and divided between two dishes. I add a couple of hands full of raisins if we've no spud peelings. I guess they get a good couple of tablespoons each. Over this I sprinkle a good few hands full of the corn/grit mixture. They wouldn't touch to start with, but now clear it all up, so their digestive system must be toughening up. As it's been cold and wet I thought warm mash would be kinder

The grass they are on during the day is still quite lush andgreen, with a bit of clover in, but they've scrapped down to the soil in one corner. They've also got an old cat-litter tray full of sharp sand to play in (instead of their food bowls) so they should be OK for grit.

Thanks all for your input - I'll keep you posted.

[frias]

Well I might be wrong on this but I think the corn should be saved for the afternoon, helps to keep them warm at night.
I think it's best to keep peelings/raisins etc until afternoon too. That way the girls have filled up with pellets first which contains everything they need. I also mix baked crushed eggshells with the pellets.
You're lucky to have some grass left. My whole lawn is a muddy quagmire.

[Glutton4...]

OK, makes sense - I'm obviously being a little over enthusiastic

As for the grass - only had 'em a week but with a month's rain having fallen today, I'm not holding my breath!

[frias]

Yeh, when I got my ex-batts 6 months ago I spoilt them rotten too. Trying to make up for the awful life they had before. I'm just trying to pass on some of the advice I was given. Tough love!

[Snadger]

I've ordered rubber dummies to try and encourage them to lay in the nest boxes..............................

Why do I keep conjuring up a picture of a chook version of Maggie Simpson?

[Bephlam]

I let my girls out at sunrise - and they have nothing in thier run apart from their pellets (still on growers) and of course any snails, and slugs, that haven't managed to escape before they are let loose!!

I always give them some greens - usually cabbage, lettuce, or spinach (my girls favourite) around 12ish. They usually have a little chicken nap around 1, until about 2...and then I give them their chicken porridge at 4...just in time for bed! They eat the porridge (porridge, raisins, corn, peas, etc etc...and poultry spice) in about 5 minutes - they LOVE it.

I do think it's best to give them the morning to eat their quota of pellets, before allowing them to fill up on the tasty stuff. That way you can ensure they're getting a good balance...

[frias]

Why do I keep conjuring up a picture of a chook version of Maggie Simpson?

Snadger, your posts make laugh too much. Not good with this cough!
Wish my husband had a sense of humour. (he must have once, he married me)