Not Laying My birds just aren't laying like they should be. I have one pair in the Fehrholz side that is raising and one pair on the Husband side. The others just aren't interested. They seem to be paired up and the cоcks are mounting the hens but they aren't laying. When they do lay, the eggs don't hatch. They have plenty of oyster shell grit and I am not doing anything different. They are all as healthy as can be. They aren't even interested in making nests like they did in years past. I have a pair of carneaus in with the Husband birds and they are doing their thing. I wonder what the problem is?
Re: Not Laying Sometimes when eggs don't hatch it's because of a lack of Iodine in the water. You can either buy it from Foy's or do what I do and use Red Cell in the water twice per week. Red Cell not only provides Iodine, it also provides a host of other vitamins and minerals. I would try the red cell if I was you, or better yet a mix of probiotics and vitamins and minerals. That's what I would use but it's too expensive to use with 300 Pigeons. There's some really good stuff here: www.provitalhealth.com You should also make sure they get a good variety of grit! I give mine three different kinds.
Member of the National Pigeon Association, Flying Oriental Roller Society, Horseman Pouter Club of North America, Voorburg Shield Cropper Club and the Tucson Pigeon Club
Re: Not Laying A few years ago I gave a friend a start in BRs. He had the same problems that you are describing. At the suggestion of a friend who raised show chickens, he gave them Ivomec followed by Teramycin. He then filled his kit boxes in a very short time. I don't know what they were treating specificly or why it worked, but it did. Maybe this will ring a bell with someone and they can fill in the blanks for us both.
Hope this helps.
--- Ed McMoran
Riverside California
mcmoran@sbcglobal.net
Member of the National Pigeon Association, Flying Oriental Roller Society, Horseman Pouter Club of North America, Voorburg Shield Cropper Club and the Tucson Pigeon Club
Re: Not Laying The husband hens are all last year's birds. But most all of the Fehrholz birds raised last year. But, some of the males are only 8 months old or so. Maybe that is the problem. Time will tell!
How long do hens usually lay before they get too old?
Re: Not Laying I found a squeaker up in the loft today! It was in a spot that I can't see without climbing up. It is from the two white Fehrholz birds I got from Alan earlier this year. I am psyched to have white birds already! Thanks, Alan for sending me a pair.
Re: Not Laying Michael if you stil have the same problems,try to separate males and females one week or two that might wake up instinct and hormons might kick in again.
Re: Not Laying Thanks, Amir. They seem to be getting in the swing of things now. I have several more sitting on eggs. I don't know what took them so long to get started!
