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Tag Archives: chickens

Hens laying less?

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Sandra Wahlert DVM Posted in Education .
Backyard Chickens

Backyard Chickens

My hens quit laying as many eggs in the fall/winter. Is something wrong with them?

Likely your hens are normal. As the days get shorter the egg production of you hens may drop off considerably. Chickens need about 12 hours in the afternoon and nighttime to produce an egg and its surrounding shell that will be laid the next morning.

As the day length decreases so does the number of eggs that can be produced. You can counteract this natural cycle by artificially increasing the day length. Set a 40 watt bulb on a timer to come on earlier in the morning so the hens get a total of 16 hours of light a day.

 

 

 

 

 

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Backyard Chickens and Oyster Shell

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Sandra Wahlert DVM Posted in Education .
Feeding the chickens, by Walter Frederick Osborne

Feeding the chickens, by Walter Frederick Osborne

Should I feed my backyard chickens oyster shell?

Laying hens that are actively laying eggs should have plenty of calcium provided in their diet. Since an egg is composed of about 40% calcium, hens have a pretty hefty calcium requirement. Quality commercial lay pellets are designed to be calcium rich.

However a hen’s feed intake will often drop in hot weather so she may not get all of the calcium she needs. Oyster shell is 36-41% calcium and can be a good source of supplementation when offered free choice. It can stay in the digestive tract longer than processed feed thus allowing for a slow continuous release of calcium. Oyster shell preparations that are combined with limestone, Vitamin D and other vitamins and minerals can be especially effective.

 

 

 

 

 

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