helping hens lay again?

[me&thegals]

Well, mine still seem to be molting. You barely touch them and a "poof" of feathers fly off. They are otherwise lively and eating well. I guess I need to wait until the moulting stops.

I notice that many people on BYC seem to deworm regularly. I have never dewormed them. I keep an eye on their droppings, though I know not all parasites are visible in the droppings. Do any of you deworm regularly or have the dropping tested regularly?

Inchy

I "don't do nuthin'" to the birds. Every 6 months or so we will find a dead one, but otherwise they seem to be in good health. We have a bare-back problem, but it looks like an overbreeding issue to me...

ETA: I should add that we have between 75 and 100 birds, so losing 1 every once in a while isn't too bad, compared to if we only had 5 birds and lost 1 that frequently.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't deworm and never have. I put Shaklees soap in their water a couple of times this summer to see if anything was shed in their feces but didn't really see anything.

Next time I butcher, I plan to split a bowel or two and inspect the entire length, just to see if any worms can be visualized. I'm always curious about A&P of humans and animals.

 

[2dream]

I never dewormed mine. I do give them pumpkin seeds several times a year when I have a pumpkin or two available. They appear healthy and happy.

 

[()relics]

I'm not an expert but We do have very nice birds and hard ware from show wins to prove it...I have 14(?) white leghorns and 8 RIRs...All these birds are from my own stock which has been on-site for at least 4 years without additions, I hatch my own chicks every spring...My leghorns will lay year around but the RIR's usually take the winter off or at least go way down in production. Not to say the leghorns are at Full production but at least they lay a couple eggs per week...I do winter my birds inside the barn which shares a common wall with my goat kidding area so they do get "alittle" artificial light that slips through the cracks, mostly just whatever natural ligfht is available. I switch their feed slightly from a layer mix, I mix myself, to more of just a cracked corn mix in the winter...I think the added corn helps them stay warmer...JMO.
I wonder if it is cold and the water is freezing If they are getting enough water? I have found that if yopu want your birds to stop laying just forget to give them water everyday, just kidding of course.
Worms? I simply use a mix of 50/50 limestone to diatomaceous earth...They use it as grit, a source of calcium,and a dust bath...I make a pile of it in front of the coop door so they have no choice but to walk through it...That is all I have ever used...With the exception of when birds come home from a show...They are quarenteened and HEAVILY dusted with Sevin..

 

[Dace]

Inchy, I only wormed because I lost a bird and she had worms.

She had been acting ill and I thought it was a crop impaction....she stopped eating just drank A LOT of water. I massaged her crop several times and she seemed to improve. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I neglected to keep as close of an eye on her as I should have and she took a turn for the worse. I started to suspect that she was egg bound so I brought her is for a couple of warm butt soaks and I found little worms squirming around in the water....so I assume her infestation must have been really bad.

I got the wormer for her and figured the others were being exposed to her worms and could pick them up so I wormed them to as a precaution. I hate to resort to that type thing, but in my case it was necessary.

Should I be giving my girls scratch at this time of year? Is that what helps increase their core temps? I was thinking about picking up a bag.....are there better options out there for them?

 

[Beekissed]

I've heard conflicting opinions on if corn actually generates heat when metabolized....some say it actually saps core heat because it takes more energy to digest.

Not sure about all that flammertygib.....I just feed less expensive feeds when they are producing less~which generally means a little cracked corn in with their mash, plus some oats, rabbit feed, BOSS....anything that makes the feed stretch and provides more variety for them, since their choices are limited during winter free range.

They tend to eat more of the whole grains than their laying mash during this time and I find more of the mash left behind. This helps my budget a little during slow winter months.

 

[Farmfresh]

I have three hens. They have been great layers for the last couple of years and hardly ever missed a day. Now this winter finds them bald skinny and not laying. Not surprising. They have expended a LOT of energy laying all of those eggs. I am pretty sure they do not have any parasites - they are just tired and their resources are tapped out.

So this winter I am letting them rest. I am feeding them up on meat scraps and good feed. I am giving them little treats of yogurt and fresh greens. I am sprouting them some oats. They deserve the rest. Next year they will be replaced with some fresh hens and heading into the soup pot, but until that day comes they will be supplying me with more eggs this spring and early summer... at least until their replacements come of age.

 

[Country Momma]

We give our chickens food grade DE powder. Supposed to kill all kinds of "nasties" inside and out. Our hens are still laying, just slowing down a bit (RIR, Buffs, Black Australorp) They do have artificial lights and we also give canned tuna every once in a while for some additional protein. The only breed that has stepped it up in production since the cold weather has hit is the Buckeye chickens. They are amazing. Layin' like crazy. The cold doesnt bother them one bit.

 

[inchworm]

I have eggs! I have eggs! Two of them! I noticed my alpha hen was looking a little pinker in the comb and checked the nesting box Hooray that winter solstice is behind us! :bun

Inchy

 

[Wifezilla]

Oh cool!

I am still waiting on the ducks, but it has been pretty darn cold lately.