Solitary chicken - need advice

[sheik]

We've never kept chickens through the winter months, but we were told that our two hybrids should keep laying all the way through.

All our chickens were born Spring 2008, so this is their first winter.

 

Flumpy, Speckledy Hybrid - stopped laying at the end of October when she started a mini-moult. No sign she is still moulting. She still eats loads!

Luna, Columbine hybrid - is mid-moult, stopped laying mid-December

Pootle, Silkie (pure breed) - completely broody

Saffron, Sablepoot bantam - very young, only started laying a few weeks ago but stopped last week.

 

Obviously we're not expecting Luna or Pootle to lay whilst they are moulting / broody.

We're a bit worried about Flumpy though, why would she stop laying for months? Her breed was designed to constantly lay as far as we know. She does seem very healthy and happy though. Would you expect her to start laying again once it gets warmer? Is it possible she will never lay again, even though she is so young?

 

We're not too sure what to expect from Saffy. We were told she wouldn't start laying until the Spring anyway, but we had ten or so eggs from her and now she's seemingly stopped.

 

Thanks,

 

/\dam

[surferdog]

Sounds a bit suspicious that they've all stopped laying at the same time! My Sylvie had a mini moult after her broody spell but has been laying again for some time so, apart from a bit of a 'dry' spell in December we are back to full capacity.

 

I would check out the FAQ section in the Eggs section and try the following:

 

Worm them all

Check the garden for alternative nesting sites in case they are laying elsewhere

Check that nothing is stealing the eggs - rats can sometimes get access to the eglu and scoff the eggs.

[Hen Watch]

My first winter last year I got an egg a day from all 4 hybrids. They hardly ever missed a day. But this winter they are now 2 years old and I'm only getting 1 egg a day. So it does seem from my experience that they egg lay at full speed and then "burn out" early.

 

But yours are still only young???? Was just going to say the same as above, maybe worm them all and check for lice & mites etc....

[Olly]

worth worming and checking on general health, but unfortunately while some hens will lay reliably throughout the winter, others decide to have a rest! It's not so much the warmth, as the length of the days.

 

Do yours free-range a lot, or do you feed a lot of treats? It might be worth keeping them in the run until the afternoon to make sure they're filling up on pellets, and not giving too many treats - fat hens don't lay!

 

I'm getting 2-3 eggs from 5 hens at the moment, but they are a bit older than yours.

[chelsea]

I havent had any eggs from 4 hens since October . Have had x2 moulters, all hens in good health - bright, perky, eating and de-loused (precautionary). Last wormed September and currently in the middle of their next course of Flubenvet.

 

Mine laid all winter 2007/08, this year I think they are taking some time off .

 

I would just give them the once over, check for lice etc. And if you havent wormed them for some time might be worth doing so .

 

Once the lighter days come in im sure they will be back into the swing of things.

[sheik]

Thanks for the replies.

Our girls get a reasonable amount of free ranging time, they usually get let out at 11-12am and then locked up again in their run at 3pm.

They also get one bowl of treats a day (rice, fresh vegetables, sweetcorn, pasta etc) and a few handfuls of dried corn before they go to bed.

 

Their food is a mixture of layers pellets and growers mash (we had to give them growers due to Saffy being a pullet). It has to be said they aren't keen on the pellets though...

 

We've checked the garden for a hidden cache of eggs but haven't found one yet. Also, occasionally when we both have to work away from home they don't get let out, and on those days we would have definitely noticed a Flumpy egg.

 

Would a rat carry a whole egg away, or just eat it in the eglu?!

 

We haven't wormed them at all - do we need to see a vet about that or can we source the medicine online?

 

Cheers!

 

/\dam

[sheik]

They didn't all stop laying at the same time by the way. First Flumpy, then Luna, then Pootle and now Saffy.

 

Like I say, Pootle and Luna are understandable, but Flumpy has had all her feathers back for weeks (months?).

 

/\dam

[Egluntyne]

If you follow Surferdog's advice and cut right back on the treats, giving them only layers pellets for a few days I'm sure you will find that it makes a difference.

[ubereglu]

Also check around the garden too. Are they still crouching though? They only crouch when they're laying so this could also be a clue.

 

I have four hens and mine are all getting over their moult and waiting for longer daylight hours, so no eggs from them at the minute. Although Muddles and Starlet are now crouching again for me.