Chickens for bug control and food recycling.

[bobm]

What does the Mary Maid feeding these pampered chicks ?

 

[flowerbug]

*pulls up roost* & *eats popcorn*

 

[Beekissed]

Lucky you! I have 3 young hens who were laying regulary. I introduced 2 pullets and one of them started laying on the third day I got her. They all adjusted very well in 2 weeks. So I should be having 4 hens that lay regularly but nope. Out of 4, I'm getting 1 day a week and yesterday I got zero. What gives? Same conditions and there is no place to hide eggs and I know I have no egg eaters. The days have been cloudy but it is still bright not gloomy. Could that be it?

Mary

Look for a very glossy black snake or a very fat and shiny rat. All chickens who are laying should be laying right now, full bore. It's breeding/brooding season, so all hormones should be tip top.

If they aren't able to hide eggs to lay, then something is taking them.

Every single chicken I have who can lay is laying daily right now, though I have one 7 yr old who isn't a daily layer...maybe 3-4 times a week. Got two broodies not laying.

Got eggs coming out my ears right now....

 

[ninnymary]

Bee, we don't have snakes and I don't think it's a rat. Our rat problem has been under control. I haven't noticed any damage to my garden since my neighbor got a pest service and caught quite a bit of them. I'm also checking the nest box every 2 hours even though I don't see any of them in there.

Today my pullet laid her small egg. My Rhode Island Red used to lay almost daily and she hasn't in about 5 days.

I've read that they sometimes stop when new hens are introduced but they were laying during the first 2 weeks of integrating them. After that they all got along fine and the egg laying stopped. It's weird, I've never heard of this before. Temps are normal in fact everything is the same.

The only thing I have noticed is that my Light Brahma seems more sleepy in the morning and not as alert. I hope she is ok. I've seen her drink and eat though.

Non are broody either.

Thanks for your help. I feel better.

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

You are VERY BRAVE!! I don't want my hens doing this^ bc they will also foul my hay, just another reason that they live in a run. Still, I am getting 8 eggs/day from 12 layers. There was a thread on BYC recently about "what do you do with your eggs?" I eat them, I give them to my DD's, I give them to a girl you has an office in our business complex bc to sign for FedEx/UPS when I cannot bc the girl at the front desk doesn't know that they are insured and she won't be held responsible, AND I have friends who take eggs and then give me bags of feed in exchange. Right now I have almost 5 dozen, so I will be giving away this week.

They were in hay spillage that I am just going to throw away. I found a hole and repaired it. I doubt that I will eat the eggs as I do not know how long they have been there. If I needed chicks I would let a broody hatch them.

 

[catjac1975]

Lucky you! I have 3 young hens who were laying regulary. I introduced 2 pullets and one of them started laying on the third day I got her. They all adjusted very well in 2 weeks. So I should be having 4 hens that lay regularly but nope. Out of 4, I'm getting 1 day a week and yesterday I got zero. What gives? Same conditions and there is no place to hide eggs and I know I have no egg eaters. The days have been cloudy but it is still bright not gloomy. Could that be it?

Mary

Some breeds lay better than others. Anything scaring them?

 

[ninnymary]

Some breeds lay better than others. Anything scaring them?

I have good layer breeds. A Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, Light Brahma, and 2 Isa Browns.

During the day all is quiet. We do have racoons but we haven't heard them at night for quite some time.

Mary

 

[ducks4you]

I would examine your coop again, Mary. When I had some makeshift coops one summer and 15 layers in them it looked like they stopped laying. Instead, they had dug under the coop and I found over 50 eggs down there. It's too warm for them not to be laying right now.

 

[Nyboy]

Mary do you have a homeless population near by ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mary, the main reason chickens are not laying is the molt, but I assume you haven't seen a bunch of feathers flying around. Another reason is that they are hiding a nest on you. That is real common. I know you don't have a lot of room but a good search may be in order. They can be really tricky. I don't think yours are old enough for age to be an issue.

The only things that normally make an egg disappear without a trace are snakes, canine, and humans. Practically everything else will leave some clues so maybe check the nests for wet spots. A snake does not visit every day. It eats some eggs and crawls off for a few days to digest them, then comes back for more. Since yours is so consistent it is not a snake.

Canine such as fox, coyote, or dog will swallow eggs whole but I'd expect a fox or coyote to be really interested in your chickens. Does a dog have access to the nests?

The thought of a human is creepy and it does not have to be a homeless person. I'll let you think about that. Does someone close to you that has access enjoy practical jokes?

My suggestion is to leave a couple of eggs down there, maybe find a way to mark them that is not obvious, and see if they disappear.

There area few clues that a hen may or may not be laying. None of them are guarantees but they can be clues. The only one I put much faith in is to look at the vent. If the vent is small, dry, and tight they are not laying. If the vent is large and moist they are at least close to or occasionally laying. You might check their vents.