What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Yolky]

production?

 

We are building a walk in run and this week the main part of the work is being done. It has meant that we had to take the slabs we were using under the eglu run to put where the run is being built. So for the first time the girls are back on mud after being used to slabs and hemcore. Since moving the slabs away on sunday and usually getting 3 eggs a day we have had 2 egg days and today we only had 1 egg. Do you think this is related to the change? And also we are hoping to get the girls into their new run on friday evening, should we expect less eggs as the girls get used to their new run? They will still have their eglu to sleep in.

 

 

Thanks.

[Hen Watch]

Errrrr...... not sure.

 

I suppose different surroundings might cause stress (similar to a good thunderstorm meaning my girls either lay less or lay weird shape eggs). But then they know where their eglu is and where the nestbox is.

 

Are there any other factors? Like more free ranging, more treats etc.

 

Last week my lucky girls free ranged from 9am - till bed. I usually don't let them out till 10am so they fill up on pellets, but last week I let them out early and I did get less eggs (one or two a day from 4 hens). Funnily enough, working all day Sun & Monday meant they were locked in the run with pellets and some brocolli and I'm back to 4 eggs a day....????

[Yolky]

I guess it might be down to increased free ranging last weekend. They were out all day, right till roosting time so I guess for 2 days they didn't eat so many layers. It has been back to normal for the past 3 days now so I shall see what tomorrows nest box may bring

[Egluntyne]

I dare say it is due to a combination of all these things, and probably nothing to worry about.

[Yolky]

Three lovely eggies in the nest box today

[Purplemaniacs]

I hope moving our girls into walk in run and new cube will not reduce egg production. We have only had one today

 

One girl has been broody, one lays when she feels like it and one may be going broody again but Henny Penny keeps laying, well done Henny Penny.

 

No need to worry at the moment, Chris is far too busy for run building

 

Chrissie

[Cooks]

glad you've got the run sorted

 

Cocoa sometimes only gives an egg every other day, I think she's high maintenance. Sugar is totally different, an egg a day come rain or or shine.