ISA brown hens not laying

[TheOddOneOut]

Sure! It’s black fly larvae and it comes in a box. https://a.co/d/acobCU3

I just add it to their pellets and mix it all together. I notice a huge difference in egg quality with it.

Black Soldierfly larvae are usually very beneficial so I doubt this is the issue. How long ago did you change their feed, though?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

There's the likely problem. Are you feeding standard 16% layer pellets?
Dried bugs, scratch etc are treats, they're supposed to be less than 10% of their diet, a pinch per bird, once or twice a week.
They're very likely just picking out the bugs and leaving food for last.
Bugs have nice protein but high fat and low nutrition, like fried mozzarella sticks, for example.
So they're likely nutritionally deficit, production breeds such as your birds are need a good, balanced diet for their health and laying.
I'd recommend you invest and a good layer feed, that's at least 18% protein, (if you're feeding 16%) reduce the treats and a good way the make eggs better is an occasional leafy vegetable.

Interesting, I had always heard that the BSFL were high in protein and beneficial. I don't think bugs are typically high in fat. Of course, if they're only eating the larvae instead of their layer feed, that would be an issue.

 

[Briannafaith]

I use a 5 gallon bucket for them to eat out of and they’re definitely eating all! I have to add more food every 2-3 days usually. I have 10 hens and 1 rooster.

It is a 16% feed. I recently switched to a different brand over the winter because their usual brand was always out of stock.

 

[Briannafaith]

I do the black soldier larvae because they aren’t free range and don’t really have access to bugs.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm surprised they can get feed out of the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket. That's interesting.

 

[Briannafaith]

I'm surprised they can get feed out of the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket. That's interesting.

It has these feeder holes I installed. It keeps them from wasting they can’t kick the pellets out.

 

[Briannafaith]

 

[Briannafaith]

View attachment 4113136

Looks just like this!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

View attachment 4113136

Ah! I see, yeah that's like mine. Unfortunately they do bill a lot out of the ports, I think the part that's inside the bucket is too shallow. I see you have yours setting up on top of some kind of lift, maybe I'll try that and see if it helps.

 

[Briannafaith]

Ah! I see, yeah that's like mine. Unfortunately they do bill a lot out of the ports, I think the part that's inside the bucket is too shallow. I see you have yours setting up on top of some kind of lift, maybe I'll try that and see if it helps.

That’s not my picture but it looks identical. I have mine set on top of a cinder block and it helps them reach to the bottom.