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Richard

Have they gone on strike?

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I really don't know what my girls are up to - or not up to would be more accurate.

 

Daisy was broody a couple of weeks ago, but that seems to have sorted itself. However egg production overall has dropped dramatically. The girls faff about, sit in the nest box and fiddle around, but they've dropped from a high of 38 eggs in the week beginning 10th March (5.43 eggs/hen/week) to 27 for the week beginning 7th April (3.86 eggs/hen/week) to a predicted 21 this week; just 3 eggs per hen per week :(

 

They've also been a lot more nervy and flighty than usual, anything spooks them and they tear off around the run, flapping their wings.

 

I thought maybe they had been frightened but if so, they're taking a long time to settle down.

 

I've given them a good talking to. I've cut down on treats (not that they get many, but I do give them some corn in the afternoon). They get plenty of grass and have a lot of free range time. I have them well wormed.

 

I think they are just being stroppy, but would appreciate anyone else's suggestions.

 

Her indoors is getting quite annoyed - my girls are only tolerated provided they earn their keep and produce enough eggs to fill our regular orders (for 2 dozen) which pays for their food. If they don't get their act together I'm going to have to resort to serious subterfuge and start buying eggs to smuggle into the nest box so that her indoors thinks that my hens have laid them.

 

What a carry on that's going to be.

 

Any suggestions as to what might be causing this lazyness, or am I just going to have to wait through a dilatory phase and try to pacify her indoors for a bit longer?

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You say they are free ranging Richard.

 

Have you snooped about under shrubs etc?

 

Sometimes they get into the habit of laying elsewhere than in the nesting box.

 

You might find a cache of eggs under the wisteria.

 

You also say they have been a bit flighty.

 

Is there a fox lurking and scaring them, or even next doors cat?

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Have you thought about worms/lice? The hen can look quite healthy and still have them.

I have chickeny freeloaders. :( They regularly produce 1 egg between 3 per day although we got 3 eggs one day this week. :shock: One lays occasional miniature eggs as knows quantity and not size is measured.

Mine went wrong after one moulted and they all joined in and egg production just isn't as good since they started again. :roll:

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Richard, my two girlies have gone from 11 eggs a week between the two of them, to an appalling 5 eggs a week between the two of them. I've wormed them today, as there can simply be no other explanation.

 

Worm them, and if that doesn't worm, show them the oven..... :wink:

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I would say there was something up Richard, as really now should be peak laying time shouldnt it? :think: (It is in our house anyway - even my sterile peronitis chook is laying)

 

I would explore all avenues as suggested above (worms, lice, fright, eggs around the garden etc etc)

 

Hope you find a solution soon, :)

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Thanks for all the suggestions; its definately not worms as they have been well wormed several times. They are all well; I wondered about whether they had been frightened.

 

However I talked to an old countryman here who used to keen hens and he said it was just 'broodiness in the flock'. Spring is in the air and they don't want to lay, just to sit. Daisy set it all off by going properly broody.

 

Anyway we had six eggs yesterday so I'll wait and see.

 

Worm them, and if that doesn't worm, show them the oven.....

 

Sorry - that 'ain't going to happen in a vegetarian household; and they're not going in anyone else's oven ...... yet :D

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