Bringing pullets into lay

I've had some feedback this week that some pullets I rehomed that are about 22 weeks old have not come into lay yet!



Here's Salt & Pepper settled down to lay (sorry about the photo quality but it's lovely and dark in the laying boxes).



Today's haul!

Despite a serious flood and minus temperatures overnight every single one of the girls at my place who is old enough to be laying is laying. 


If your Designer Backyarders have not come into lay and you're buying eggs at the supermarket this is an issue with a simple solution...

1. Up their protein intake.

Cat biscuits have 30% protein compared with premium laying pellets with 16% so soak a handful of cat biscuits in hot water or milk for their breakfast. 

Ask you local butcher to put the band saw dust aside for you at the end of each day then collect it once of twice a week. Feed each girl a walnut sized peice every day for a week then every second day for a week then twice a day -- when they begin to lay use it for treats only.

Meal worms are great and contain a massive 67% protein -- get freeze dried ones if you're squeemish.

2. Warm them up on the inside by increasing the oil content of their diet.

Black sunflower seeds (no matter how many you have left don't feed them these after they start laying and definitely NEVER feed them these when it's not winter).

Treat them to a few tins of sardines -- Aldi sell them for 60cents.

Together these two strategies should bring your girls into lay. And we're only 7 days away from the shortest day of the year so the sun will be on your side soon too.  Longer days will also encourage your girls to do what they do best -- provide you with breakfast!

One brown, one toffee and one green.

If you have a Designer Backyarder that is laying pretty green eggs I'd love to hear from you.