28/08/2020
Low to no egg count in your hen house? Are your birds looking a little rough around the edges? Its that time again! Shorter lighting hours do not help your birds produce. If you want productive birds over the winter months you may have to ad some lights on a timer. This is also time for molt, when your birds will cast off old feathers to grow new ones. New feathers provide better insulation to keep your birds warm. During time of molt your birds will lay very few eggs as the energy is put into growing new feathers. This is the time of year our birds get the most treats. Right now every pen has a half pumpkin to nibble on and that is refreshed as soon as there is no meat left on the skin. We also add some black oil sunflower seeds to their daily rations. Not too much you dont want to overdo it. Black oil seeds are meatier and have a higher oil content, giving birds more nutrition and calories in every bite. Black oil seeds also have thinner shells, making them easier for small birds to crack.
The general nutritional components of black oil sunflower seed are:
28 percent fat
25 percent fiber
15 percent protein
Calcium
B vitamins
Iron
Vitamin E
Potassium
This makes black oil sunflower seed a valuable and nutritious part of any birdβs diet.
I hope this helps you in your quest for eggs!
Photo: Thelma and Louise, part of our frizzled silkie collection :)