Me chickens have stopped laying, why???

[Cobbysmum]

And I really fancy an omelette

 

[Torphichen]

yah, they do this time in summer. They moult and go off laying. it's normal they should pick up again though

 

[Cobbysmum]

Thanks but can't ever remember them stopping completely before. Maybe my memory's not what it was lol

 

[Rosielucky]

yeah, ditto the above. it is natural for them, but if i remember rightly, things like a fright can stop them laying eg: foxes etc
x

 

[Torphichen]

hrrrm. They might not be so suited to the weather either..they're funny creatures. You could try sticking some grit out to help?

 

[trundle]

Would you want to be squeezing a damn great egg out of your bum in this weather? Its FAR too much work !

[ QUOTE ]
And I really fancy an omelette

[/ QUOTE ]

You could always have roast chicken

 

[Cobbysmum]

Yes thought it might be something to do with the weather although they have loads of shade. Used to keep loads of hybrids and we always seemed to get eggs. Have gone onto Black Rocks which I thought were quite hardy and good layers, bring back me little ginger ones, they were ace!

 

[Cobbysmum]

[ QUOTE ]
Would you want to be squeezing a damn great egg out of your bum in this weather? Its FAR too much work !

[ QUOTE ]
And I really fancy an omelette

[/ QUOTE ]

You could always have roast chicken

[/ QUOTE ]

Believe me that thought has already crossed my mind

 

[Torphichen]

You wouldn't get much meat of them! They're not the biggest birds in the world. I like hybrids, they're tough as old boots. Never sick or sorry. Do you find your B.Rs flighty? They never seem to keep their feet on the floor!

 

[Bosworth]

Mine are laying fine. But I wormed them last week as they get done every month and they always lay well after worming. they will stop if they are wormy, also will stop if the redmites are getting them, so it would be worth while checking there are no redmites in the corners of their house. If there are then spray he house and dust each chicken once they have been put to bed at night. You should aim for moult in winter, I shut them all in a large stable and close them in for about 2 weeks. I remove the layers pellets and just give them corn. It encourages moult, and by removing the layers you stop them laying.

 

[Cobbysmum]

[ QUOTE ]
You wouldn't get much meat of them! They're not the biggest birds in the world. I like hybrids, they're tough as old boots. Never sick or sorry. Do you find your B.Rs flighty? They never seem to keep their feet on the floor!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes they are flighty, I thought I'd done my homework this time round and not just gone and bought a dozen birds from the local farmer, think I might be extending my flock with the good old hybrids. Hens are regularly wormed, de-loused and de-red mited, although to be honest haven't seen any lice or red-mites, someone earlier said they might have had a fright, might have been me lurking by the coop!

 

[china]

mine have only just started laying again after a break and lots of moulting

 

[Cobbysmum]

Best of it is, last weekend I gave my mother a dozen eggs as I had too many

 

[gails]

Mine are rubbish layer, love emm though

They only have o find a small reasn to stop laing.

I guess it is the result of not likeing battery eggs, you have to take the gamble

 

[jendie]

Our black rocks were brilliant. We bought six of them about nine years ago. One died the day it arrived but the others overcame their scrawniness and were soon producing an egg each most days. Sadly in the past year we've lost four more of the original, two in a dog attack and two for no apparent reason. We have added a dozen ex battery hens to the flock and they are fantastic. They arrived last Sunday and are already acting like chickens, flapping their wings and scratching the ground...and laying about half a dozen eggs per day. Chickens are lovely creatures, great personalities and very affectionate.

I can never eat chicken these days. Chickne breast in white wine sauce is one thing, Mavis' roasted auntie is quite another.

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

Probably the time of year. Ours are slowing down laying now too. We only got two eggs today, yestreday we got 3 and usually we get 4 a day.

 

[Dubsie]

I'd suggest the heat is putting them off. However do check you've not got young magpie visitors - there's a lot about at the mo, they can take/eat the eggs - I left one on the stones by the water trough when I was refilling and later saw a magpie fly off with it!

 

[crellow4]

I have 2 Blackrocks which are each laying an egg a day. I also have 2 Blue Laced Wyandottes - 1 is laying most days the other has gone broody so is currently sitting on 7 Barnevelder eggs. I've found the BRs very friendly and calm, not at all flighty.

 

[Cobbysmum]

Thanks for all your help. The chickens look well, no sign of moult yet but I found the magpie experience very interesting, although the chickens are surrounded by electric fencing with garden mesh over the top of the pen so I don't think a magpie could get in - we do have them around though, ah well will have to learn to be more patient