Julesf3

Our five hens started laying regularly in march but have now dropped off to 1-2 per day! They've had scaly leg which is now better but otherwise appear fine. They have vermex once a month which hopefully sorts out internal problems plus cider vinegar. Any other hens stopped laying? Is it the longer day change?

I'd agree its plucking by another hen. One of ours is bald around the backside from being plucked by one other hen who kept pecking. Been bald for two months now. Feathers not grown back.

Out of two bantams only one if ours went broody last autumn. We had a spare coop and kept her isolated in the day with no straw etc. when we saw her going in main coop we kept pushing her out. This lasted about three weeks even with constant vigilance. She literally snapped out if it overnight in the end !

Update. We did take her back to the farmer. She was noisy most of the day and although we really miss her it wasn't fair on the neighbours. We live on a housing estate bordering fields but no one else has noisy animals so it was damage limitation to save the others. Thanks for your comments

We took on this breed last August and although noisy when laying, as the days got shorter and more time was spent in coop it wasn't a problem. Now they're getting up earlier the noise is a real problem. Unless she's free roaming she's screeching. If you let her free roam she screeches before and during laying. We've tried keeping her in the kitchen until its a reasonable time (deafening) and free roaming until we go to work. Then it's bad when she realises she's been tricked into the pen again. So, unless anyone's got any ideas on keeping her quiet she's going back to the farmer Saturday.