[trappa]

My chucks arent doing too well, ive 3 lightsussex and 3 marans, but, even though i did get a full house (6 eggs) one morning i am averaging 3 still, sometimes 2 even. I was feeding them a bit of bread and scraps but now only laying pellets and corn but its still not great. Cant find any evidence of rats either.
Plus one of my light sussex has gone broody! Every time i go in she is sat on an egg.
suggestions for upping my egg rate ??

[Netter]

trappa, on Jun 5 2009, 06:54 PM, said:

My chucks arent doing too well, ive 3 lightsussex and 3 marans, but, even though i did get a full house (6 eggs) one morning i am averaging 3 still, sometimes 2 even. I was feeding them a bit of bread and scraps but now only laying pellets and corn but its still not great. Cant find any evidence of rats either.
Plus one of my light sussex has gone broody! Every time i go in she is sat on an egg.
suggestions for upping my egg rate ??

How old are your hens mate?

[Butler]

The two breeds you have aren't brilliant egg layers at the best of times 4/5 eggs a week per hen would be good going for them. You want a breed like leghorns or one of the hybrid strains that don't go broody as this ups egg production.

[lost scouse]

we have 2 warren hybrids good layers 1 everyday a wyandotte 1 every other day as just starting to lay and 2 others not laying yet i would get more warrens if i had the room

[trappa]

The hens are only young mate, i got them as they had just started laying. 1 egg today!!!! 1 feckin egg!

[artic]

Id stop the bits of bread, and try a few bits of greens, dandelion, and also layers meal is good.

They are young, and in time they will produce.

Leghorns are a good type to add to your colllection to boost your egg production.

[lost scouse]

just had a couple of eggs trappa both double yolkers of the warrens yum yum :clapper:

[landytom]

trappa, on Jun 6 2009, 05:06 PM, said:

The hens are only young mate, i got them as they had just started laying. 1 egg today!!!! 1 feckin egg!

GET A COUPLE 0F BLACK ROCKS

[iamduvern]

trappa, on Jun 5 2009, 06:54 PM, said:

My chucks arent doing too well, ive 3 lightsussex and 3 marans, but, even though i did get a full house (6 eggs) one morning i am averaging 3 still, sometimes 2 even. I was feeding them a bit of bread and scraps but now only laying pellets and corn but its still not great. Cant find any evidence of rats either.
Plus one of my light sussex has gone broody! Every time i go in she is sat on an egg.
suggestions for upping my egg rate ??

How much grit do they get and do and how do you feed them eg 2 times aday or is there food in front of them all day??

[trappa]

iamduvern, on Jun 6 2009, 07:10 PM, said:

trappa, on Jun 5 2009, 06:54 PM, said:

My chucks arent doing too well, ive 3 lightsussex and 3 marans, but, even though i did get a full house (6 eggs) one morning i am averaging 3 still, sometimes 2 even. I was feeding them a bit of bread and scraps but now only laying pellets and corn but its still not great. Cant find any evidence of rats either.
Plus one of my light sussex has gone broody! Every time i go in she is sat on an egg.
suggestions for upping my egg rate ??

How much grit do they get and do and how do you feed them eg 2 times aday or is there food in front of them all day??

I give them plenty grit, is this an issue and in what way? also, i feed them only once, but usually find there are still a little left the next day in their troughs so they arent going hungry.

[valentino]

[I give them plenty grit, is this an issue and in what way? also, i feed them only once, but usually find there are still a little left the next day in their troughs so they arent going hungry.
[/quote]

areet,..imo you will attract rats and disease this way, and it also doesnt look very tidy imo having corn left in troughs etc...

i feed mine 3 times aday, never a grain left, and if there is, back in the bin it goes for next time

[springerman]

trappa, on Jun 5 2009, 06:54 PM, said:

My chucks arent doing too well, ive 3 lightsussex and 3 marans, but, even though i did get a full house (6 eggs) one morning i am averaging 3 still, sometimes 2 even. I was feeding them a bit of bread and scraps but now only laying pellets and corn but its still not great. Cant find any evidence of rats either.
Plus one of my light sussex has gone broody! Every time i go in she is sat on an egg.
suggestions for upping my egg rate ??

alright mate to be fair your not doing anything wrong you would have been better off getting some of the hybrid birds that are bred for maximum egg production . why not try getting some ex battery hens they look a bit grim when you first get them but once they moult out they are ok

[jakepotjo]

hi mate stay away from exbattery hens most do not lay again just get hold of some warrens or whitstares the middle of aurgst as long as ther point of lay they will go all the way threw the winter with no artifical light and then swop them same time next year marran and suxes are a utility breed eggs and meat bird but most have been bred for looks naw a days so egg production is low marrans lay a lovelt egg but if ther not laying well for you its no good

[rabbit tourmentor]

would defo reccomend leghorns also u can get these in bantam there for you can get more birds in still laying the same amount of eggs and size

[Rothers]

Trappa,You are not alone mucker,
Im down to five hens after a recent nightly fox raid.
Im only getting two,three max a day, and that was before the raid.(with one light sussex and 4 red warrens hybreds)
I tried a few tips but still the same production.
I have had rats,that stopped them laying for a week.Just sat there with the night vision and rifle and picked them off from the bathroom window.
They are very finicky creatures if there is something they are not happy with,they wont lay.
Its just trying to pinpoint the problem,thats the maddening thing.