About 95% of the egg a hen lays is calcium carbonate by dry weight. Over a year, the calcium she puts into her eggshells could equal 20 times the calcium that’s in her bones. So it only makes sense that a steady supply of calcium will help her stay healthy and produce strong eggshells. I suggest ground oyster shells, and I recommend putting them in their own container so the hens can take what they need. They like them, they’re readily available in feed stores, and they’re not expensive. Feed Variances and Calcium If your hens are fed high-quality layer feed and get nothing else, their calcium intake is probably sufficient. But if they’re in the yard, fed table scraps and scratch feeds along with commercial feed, they are good candidates for a calcium supplement. Note:Only feed oyster shells to hens already laying eggs.
They’re pullets, all female, and that’s why you bought those cute little chicks from the feed store. You certainly didn’t expect to get stuck with a rooster, but now you’re the unlucky one who has fallen into that teeny tiny margin of error and has an unwanted cockerel. Considering your Options Check your city ordinances, roosters are often banned in suburban areas, so considering the impossibility of hiding him, an eviction notice is definitely in order. I know this is a hard decision, but it only takes one neighbor to complain and the law will be snooping and sniffing around your property. If you are allowed to have a rooster you still may have a problem if you already have one. Rule of thumb… more than one rooster to a flock is a no-no. Another thing to consider is your hen’s eggs are going to be fertile, not exactly an ideal situation if you’re selling eggs. Not all chicken keepers raise meat birds, so we folks who keep only layers have completely ruled out killing and cooking one of our birds for dinner. That’s an art in itself, and if you’re like me, one better left to somebody else. Check with the feed store you bought the bird from, sometimes they’ll take it back. But realistically, most unwanted cockerels share the same fate, a dinner plate. If the feed store idea is a bust, it’s time to re-home the roo. Ask friends who might live in a more rural area. Craig’s List has come through for me time and time again. Last year I had six roosters to re-home, and they all sold for $5 bucks each. Just keep in mind, cock fighting does exist, so weed out the riff-raff and dust off your good judge of character skills. Beat the Odds of the Chicken Lottery There is a solution to that 1% margin of error when buying sexed chicks. If you want to be assured you’ll never get stuck with a rooster again, buy sex-linked chicks. They’re idiot-proof in the sexing department because the hens hatch one color and the roosters another. They’re hardy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they wrote the book on egg laying. Sex Link Chickens Two common varieties are the black sex-link (also called Black Stars) and the red sex-link (also called Red Stars).
You can’t always see if there’s a problem just by glancing over the chicks, so pick each chick up and check for fecal matter. It’s always good practice to handle your chicks anyway, so this is a good way to socialize and take care of them at the same time. If you find a chick with a poopy wad, use warm water and a cloth to gently clean it off, if it’s hard and stuck like glue use a drop or two of soap. Soap seems to soften the fecal matter and allows you to work it out. It’s absolutely vital to check all your little chick’s bums for fecal matter every day or you will surely have a much bigger problem, such as a treatment for impaction, or worse, death. Danger Signs of Impaction Young chicks commonly suffer from fecal impaction, and if left untreated they will die. The warning signs are listlessness, stumbling, and sometimes a swollen abdomen. Most likely your ailing chick has a dirty bum with caked on fecal matter hindering the ability to poop. What to Do Soak the chick in a warm sitz bath for at least 5 minutes and gently remove all the fecal matter using a few drops of soap to help soften. After treatment, keep the chick isolated so you’re sure the little guy poops. Remember, chicks chill easily and it’s important to provide an adequate heat source as soon as possible after the sitz bath.
TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources 