Why Aren't My Chickens Laying? - guest post by Andrea Martin

Why Aren’t the Chickens Laying?

As scarce as hen’s eggs! That is what some chicken keepers may want to say about eggs.  This is the number one question asked by bird folks. The first step towards understanding eggs, and the laying process, involves rethinking what those round “baking ingredients” really are. Eggs are nothing more than the chicken’s way of making more chickens!  It really is a chicken and egg question.

Chickens, like mammals, ovulate. Unlike mammals, they incubate their babies outside their bodies. It takes 21 days of setting for an egg’s fluffy occupant to mature and enter the big outside world. Egg production is based on three things: the day length, the chicken’s genetics and two outside influences – lifestyle and nutrition.

This is great news! We can guide and enhance two of those three factors… we can provide an enriched living arrangement and we can supply varied and beneficial foodstuffs. We can even alter the daylight - but this needs to be done with caution. More on that in a bit.

What we can’t change

Each chicken is the product of a rich and varied genetic heritage. Her ancestors supplied her size, feather color and structure, and the number of eggs she will lay. So, egg laying can be influenced through the generations by selective breeding – and this was just what humans did over the centuries. You can’t change the number of eggs that any individual bird has – they, just like mammals, are born with all of the eggs they will ever have! You won’t get 300 eggs out of a Silkie or Brahma, but you will from a Brown Leghorn and Australorp.

Raising heritage and endangered breeds of chickens is the first step to being successful as a chicken keeper and conservationist.  These breeds have been developed for vigor, slow maturation, reasonable production intended to maintain health and longevity, and the ability to utilize native range /climate to an advantage.  Research has proved that selecting these individuals is extremely important in order to salvage diversity, to enjoy disease resistance, and to support animal welfare. 

Choosing native fowl is particularly important for warmer zones. As this article from Scientifica (2016) states,  “Indigenous breeds are well known for their tropical adaptability and disease resistance, while their plumage colour helps in protecting themselves against predators.”

Happy hens

Stress, dirty and un-enriched living conditions limit reproduction in any animal. These negative factors also increase illness, create behavioral issues and lead to welfare issues in the animals. Happy healthy birds lay more and better eggs. Chickens of all breeds are designed to forage for most of the day. They need stuff to do, places to see and leafy areas to dig.  Busy birds are happy birds. 

Chickens are biologically bound to seek out flock living.  Always be sure to provide at least 4 birds to any group. You can get away with three, and this is a common breeding group known as a trio. A trio is comprised of two hens and their rooster. Roosters are a very important member of any flock. Well-bred roosters stabilize the social structure. They reduce stress in the hens, assist with activities such as foraging and nesting, alert the flock to danger and cultivate a beneficial sense of safety.

Note: Unusually aggressive or birds with genetic faults should never be bred. Responsible breeding prevents cruelty and unwanted birds.  

Choose wary and range-bred chickens, such as Spangled Hamburgs, Penedesenca, Brown Leghorns, Ancona, Welsummer and Fayoumi for natural keeping practices. Refrain from purchasing and raising breeds that are not suited to your environment. “It is important to maximize the use of existing genetic diversity…in indigenous fowl [47, 60]. …In the recent past there is a growing concern to conserve biodiversity and to evaluate potential value of indigenous chicken not only for current but also for future unforeseen uses.”

Note: Laying is determined by day length. Chickens need to rest from laying during the winter months, even in warm climates. This rest period is critical, so adding light must be done with care. Hens will stop laying during the molt as well, this is when they save their energy to make new feathers! Laying will resume after the molt. Using Seabuck 7 during the molting process is important. The birds need added nutrition and vitamins during this time.

Dinner bells

Chickens love to eat! These feathered friends can really tuck in.  Anyone who “eats like a bird” has an impressive appetite.  A chicken’s eating practices vary by several factors. Young birds have higher protein needs as they build muscle, bone, feathers and everything else! Hens in lay will eat a substantial amount more than their rooster friends and any hen that is older or not laying at the time. Birds eat less in hot weather and more in cold.

Always provide top quality grain for the flock and be sure to supplement this with fresh greens and fruits. Chickens crave protein and they will find this on range. Prevent behavioral issues and feather picking by supplying protein to your birds if range or wild sources are limited.  The protein sources and lack of variety in chicken grain diets creates many issues for the birds. Chickens naturally desire a wide variety of foodstuffs, and being omnivores, innately crave certain textures and tastes.

Note: Behavior issues can often be linked to a mundane diet (only offering processed feed with no greens or range) as well as a sterile environment. Chickens need coop and feed diversity! Stressed and bored chickens will not produce eggs, have that special show-ring bloom, or enjoy a quality life. 

Supplements

Chickens need that little extra boost to keep their bodies fighting ready! A few additions to their perfect world are the gilding that you need to put on your feathered lilies.  Provide oyster shell for calcium and shell quality, kelp or seaweed for micronutrients lacking in modern soils, grit for their digestion and natural food boosts for their immune systems and body condition.

There are many options to choose from and knowing your flock’s needs is key. Consult with your agricultural extension and with a vet skilled in natural medicine.  Be careful of what you purchase for supplementation. There are many poultry products are on the market – but they are not regulated and quality/results may not be supported.  Many supplements are not bioavailable, or they may need an additional complementary herb to boost their absorption.  Turmeric and oregano will not be utilized by the birds, or you, without the addition of “bioperine” or pepper extract (yes, it is made from black pepper). If you purchase a supplement for the birds containing flakes of dried oregano – you will only be flavoring their food. 

Best Picks:

• Turmeric with bioperine
• Oregano oil
• And…Seabuck 7!

We mention the sea buckthorn because we know that this fruit has evidence-derived, scientifically proven properties.  Read our other posts on what to expect from Seabuck 7. 

Happy laying! Share your egg-citing stories – tell us how do you keep your feathered flocks feisty?

Lead! What Chicken Keepers Need to Know

Lead! What Chicken Keepers Need to Know

What stays in the soil indefinitely and never breaks down?

Lead.

Lead is an element in the carbon group (Pb) and it is already in its “smallest” form. High school chemistry class taught us that this element can’t break down anymore — lead residue persists forever in the soil. The particles do not decompose…but remain a toxic substance even after eroding into aerosolized dust.  Once a component of paints and pesticides, lead also appears as a natural substance.  Even if you have never used any lead products, it may still be present on your property in the soil, in old barn paint and in paint chips. Lead was used in pesticides, gas, bullets and shot, as a sealant for tin cans, in batteries and as a water line solder. Even if you have removed all of the lead paint from structures, it will already have entered your soil.

Lead can be taken up through the roots of plants.  When the chickens graze lead- tainted grasses, and when they roll in the dust to bathe – they are ingesting these residual lead particles. Chickens eat dirt to help digest their food. Hens actively seek out chips of calcium when they are laying. Anything flat, small and white with the characteristics of an eggshell or chip of seashell fits the bill! Unfortunately, that is exactly what lead white paint looks like.  Chickens readily consume flakes of paint that have fallen off of old buildings or that have emerged from the soil. In fact, the soil around old structures may contain toxic levels of lead. 

Heavy metal history

Humans have been smelting lead for thousands of years; its workable properties are legendary. Lead beads have been dated as far back as 7,000 BCE. The Romans used lead pipes to transport water through their famous water engineering works. But even some of Rome’s citizens began to suspect this was not a great idea. Lead poisoning was known in Ancient Rome and some historians propose that lead poisoning may have had an impact on that society. By the end of the 19^th century, the dangerous aspects of manufacturing with lead were coming to light.  Lead poisoning (exacerbated by scurvy) was behind the 1845, Sir John Franklin Arctic expedition’s failure, as the crews’ food was sealed in lead soldered tins and foils. Lead analysis of the exhumed remains revealed heightened levels of the metal.

Lead is a dangerous neurotoxin that accumulates in plant and animal systems. We all know of the tragic cases of waterfowl that have ingested lead shot and fishing weights. The same cumulative affects will occur in the chickens and in us. Lead is transferred to baby chicks through the egg, and eggs used for the table will also contain the toxic substance. Lead is easily shared!

Old glass also holds traces of lead and chickens will snack on shards of broken windowpanes or glassware. Antique properties are littered with middens. Yup, this is the famous junk unearthed by archaeologists. Trash collection is a modern convenience, and while Victorian cities had dustbin workers, country folk simply dug pits on their homesteads and buried their trash. For those of us living on old properties, we regularly dig up these treasure troves. Some of those antique waste-bin finds have been leaching lead into the soil. And some of these “gems” are aged taste treats for the ducks, geese or the chickens that spend their days digging up things!

What you can do:

1. 1. Have your soil tested at your local agricultural university, extension office or environmental conservation service.
2. 2. Do not allow the birds (waterfowl, turkeys or chickens) access to old paint that may be on iron gates, wooden fences or buildings. They may peck at these objects and ingest the lead. Chickens and turkeys will strip and eat flaking lead paint!

Symptoms of lead poisoning

Low levels of lead toxicity won’t show any signs.  Serious lead poisoning in birds appears similar to other diseases (like Mareks).  It is usually chronic and based on repeated exposure – it also builds up in the birds’ system. Lead poisoning produces neurological symptoms including: loss of appetite, lethargy and self-isolation, bright green droppings/unusual manure consistency with diarrhea, unsteady on feet with inability to roost, weakness, increased thirst, star-gazing and cognitive issues, seizures/blindness, anemia and regurgitation. Lead poisoning is deadly!  

If you suspect illness in your flock consult your veterinarian promptly. Lead poisoning is treatable, but birds exhibiting symptoms are in real danger. This is an avian medical emergency.

Lead levels in parts per million – soil testing

If soil test results from your property reveal heavy metal toxicity, you will need to take action. Unfortunately, removing and protecting livestock from lands containing lead contamination is a real mess!    

1. Safe/natural levels: 100 ppm and under

2. Increased levels: over 100 to 300ppm

3. Toxic levels: over 300 ppm

Check your property and fencing for possible lead paint and remove any questionable objects. Getting soils tested is a key step to safe farming practices. 

Sea buckthorn research

Laboratory studies have revealed the protective and therapeutic benefits of the sea buckthorn (leaves, fruit and seeds) for preventing and treating toxicities from mycotoxins. Therapeutic benefits are based in the plant’s antioxidant activity against free radical damage since it contains “exceptionally high contents of nutrients and phytochemicals such as lipids, water-and fat-soluble vitamins, and flavonoids.” 

Sea buckthorn has liver safeguarding properties, but it also has shown positive neuroprotective benefits as well. 

This is a quote from a 2005 breakthrough study in Protective Effects of Hippophae rhamnoides L. Juice on Lead-Induced Neurotoxicity in Mice: 

“To elucidate the cognition-enhancing and neuroprotective mechanisms of HRL, we investigated the effects of HRL on oxidative stress and the changes in cholinergic and monoamine neurotransmitters induced by lead. Free radicals play an important role in lead neurotoxicity, since lead exerts its neurotoxicity through oxidative stress… Increased oxidative stress reflected as a higher MDA level in lead-treated mice was prevented by HRL. The antioxidant activity of HRL juice has been shown in in vitro, cell culture, and animal studies.” 

The researchers’ intriguing conclusion showed that the sea buckthorn revealed traceable benefits. “Because oxidative damage is also involved in Pb [lead] toxicity, we examined parameters of oxidative stress in the brain from mice chronically exposed to the metal. In this study, we used behavioral and neurochemical experiments to determine the protective effects of HRL against the neurotoxicity induced by lead.” 

Sea buckthorn continues to unfurl its beneficial health properties! But, if you suspect lead poisoning in your birds consult a vet immediately.  This is a life-threatening condition and prompt veterinary care is needed. Generally, many birds will be affected, or will soon be affected, if there is a source of lead on the property.  Your veterinarian and agricultural office will assist you in dealing with this frustrating and stressful problem.