Hello all!I was wondering if you have experienced the same and can offer some advice: our four 6-months old hens (3 Delawares and 1 Ameraucana) haven't been laying any eggs for a few days, before that the number of eggs laid per day gradually decreased.I am thinking there might be two possible causes:1) We have been overseeding our lawn and have, therefore, confined our girls to the coop, whereas before they free-ranged in our yard several hours a day. To compensate for the confinement I've hung a hamster snack ball in their coop, filling it with veggies and fruits each day. They've been getting a little more scratch and at times I scoop up coackroaches (I have a nice nest going under a straw bale - it's like a buffet table for the girls) and throw them into the coop. I also go into the coop twice a day to check on food and water and talk to them, and clean it out almost every other day. I get the feeling they are not happy being cooped up all day, but can chickens actually pout? !2) The weather is getting cooler. Too cool maybe?Thanks for any insight you can share! It's greatly appreciated, since this is our first flock and we are still learning.
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I agree with most everything that's been said. If your chickens haven't begun to molt, they will probably do so very soon. The shorter fall day length is going to signal to their bodies, "cold weather coming, not a good time to hatch babies, stop laying eggs." I am of the opinion that it may be okay to supplement light to keep them laying a little longer in the fall, but I wouldn't do it all winter. Their bodies can use the time off. It's my opinion that If they are under the stress of being in production for 365 days a year, it will shorten their overall years of production/lifespan and just be generally hard on the birds.
In conclusion: Don't worry, it's natural.
Thank you for everyone's insight! I truly appreciate it.
Well, I suppose, we'll just have to wait until spring. We just started letting them out of their coop again today. Even if the egg production doesn't start up again, they'll be much happier chickens again. My husband had quiet some fun herding them back into their coop. I think, they'd love to stay out if we let them. But there are too many stray cats in the neighborhood, plus one of them has already proven she can fly as high as the wall.
Me too, me too. I was consistantly getting 3 eggs a day & now nothing for 3 days. I think it is light & weather related.
I also have a girl who seems broody. We broke her of the "sit in the nest all day" thing, now she just seems to want to hang there at night. I am done fighting with her about it. I think she is low on the pecking order and maybe just seekeing shelter from the other girls.
I have 2 Leghorns and a Barred Rock laying. The coop has 2 nests but they almost always use the northernmost nest (opens west), which is slightly more protected from light since it is the furthest back location. One of the Leghorns frequently squeezes into the nest with the Barred Rock and they lay their eggs at the same time, then they hang out together in the nest for at least 30 minutes. Is this normal egg laying behavior?
I'm sure it's not too cool for them. Maybe an adjustment? Have you checked to see if they are hiding somewhere? I had one of mine lay under the nests for a while and I found a stash after a week of "no eggs" This is my only insight, sorry.
I have a problem with eggs too. I have had a slight decrease with my hens in the heat and now with the cooler weather they have picked up production again. I'm sure it's not too cool for them.
One of mine is still not laying, infact she didn't slow down in the heat she hasn't laid an egg for a while now. She is my only aracauna so I haven't seen any of her green eggs. One of the hens is getting a very wet poop ALL over the eggs too, unusually wet and not anything I have seen before.
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In conclusion: Don't worry, it's natural.
Well, I suppose, we'll just have to wait until spring. We just started letting them out of their coop again today. Even if the egg production doesn't start up again, they'll be much happier chickens again. My husband had quiet some fun herding them back into their coop. I think, they'd love to stay out if we let them. But there are too many stray cats in the neighborhood, plus one of them has already proven she can fly as high as the wall.
I also have a girl who seems broody. We broke her of the "sit in the nest all day" thing, now she just seems to want to hang there at night. I am done fighting with her about it. I think she is low on the pecking order and maybe just seekeing shelter from the other girls.
I have a problem with eggs too. I have had a slight decrease with my hens in the heat and now with the cooler weather they have picked up production again. I'm sure it's not too cool for them.
One of mine is still not laying, infact she didn't slow down in the heat she hasn't laid an egg for a while now. She is my only aracauna so I haven't seen any of her green eggs. One of the hens is getting a very wet poop ALL over the eggs too, unusually wet and not anything I have seen before.
Anyone have insight to my situation too?