[neenyneen]

my neighbor said yesterday that he had been talking to an old farmer about my chickens and the old farmer said that if i were to put ground pepper in my chooks food they would lay more regularly  not that they are laying irregularly!!! i just have one out of the three that isn't laying yet 

Has anyone come across this before and am i right to think its just another old wives tale? 

[joyfull]

not heard that although I had heard about putting a little chilli powder in their food has the same effect. Grannie Annie was told that putting poultry spice in their food has the same desired effect so she tried it and yes it worked (although I doubt that Hillfooter would agree with this    ).

[compostqueen]

He will mean poultry spice. It's a mixture of curry spices basically, and is given to racing pigeons in the main, to improve their feathering and condition

You feed it as per the instructions on the packaging and a little goes a long way. Something like a teaspoon per 10 hens, so it lasts ages.  You don't need to use it routinely though, only when the girls are coming through a moult or if you need them to look their best for a show  

It is perfectly natural product of spices like cumin, fenugreek,etc etc and is available from most good pet shops

[neenyneen]

mmmm, another thing to go on the shopping list then!

Thanks for the replies guys!