4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Chili]

I am relatively new to chook keeping ( since August 07 ) and have 5 hens. The problem is that from these 5, I am getting relatively few eggs - only 1 or 2 per day for the last fortnight and my columbine hasn't produced a single egg for two weeks

 

They always have their pellets on offer, free range with a cabbage or lettuce between them each day and have a treat of porridge containing sweetcorn, raisins, limestone flour, vitamins etc each day. I have recently halved the amount of porridge mix I feed them though thinking this to be the problem

 

They are all in good health, young enough to still be laying well, have no lice, mites or problems. I have searched the garden in case they are laying elsewhere, but I have never had any of them lay anywhere except in the nest box. I don't think they are eating them either as there is never a shred of evidence of a broken/eaten egg.

 

Please help - where are my eggs? At the moment all I have is a bunch of freeloaders!!

[Yolky]

I don't have chooks yet (11 days and counting lol) but from what I have read here sometimes you need to cut right back on treats and make sure that they eat more layers pellets as they are what they need to lay.

 

I am sure someone who knows far more about chookies will be along soon and give you some good advice too.

[TAJ]

Mine can go days without treats - you could try to ensure the focus is on layers pellets that are a balanced diet and ensure treats are cut down a bit for a while.

 

Tracy

[Abbey Road Girl]

Making some of their pellets into a porridge with hot water is worth trying. You could throw in a few raisins to make it a treat. Porridge is a nice co-opperative treat (all heads in the bowl), unlike broccoli which can set up too much competition.

[Egluntyne]

Have they been wormed recently?