My eco solution to rat problems

[CannyCat]

This is a question regarding clarets post in the redmite thread in Chicken Clinic; it didn't seem appropriate to ask there

 

Sounds like you're doing all you can Narnia. Take the Eglu apart and blitz it with a hot solution of whatever red mite product you have bought. When it's dry, press either red mite powder or diatom onto the ends of the bars and along the ridge that they rest on. The only way to get rid of it completely is consistnet good husbandry - the little blighters are tenacious.

 

Boost the chooks up with poultry spice and plenty of protein like meal worms or tuna. bear in mind that if they aren't hybrids, they may be starting to lay less anyway as the nights draw in.

 

You could always PM Gallina, who had some good advice after she was plagued by it.

 

Good luck and let us knwo how you get on.

 

So do Hybrids lay consistently all through winter, and do 'pure breeds' stop, then?

 

A girl where I work keeps chickens - no idea what type though - and says hers are dropping off already, and that I might not get eggs from my girls til spring now (I dont mind really, Id love them to bits even if they never laid!)

[Guest]

Last winter, the only chicken that I had lay reliably through was my White Star - she laid 9 days out of 10, without a break, while the rest became erratic, with Belle not laying at all between November and March.

[The Dogmother]

Your right there Canny; hybrids are bred to lay eggs regularly like clockwork through out the year (more or less). They are also bred not to go broody, although both these points don't apply to all birds. This has it's disadvantages as the constant egg laying wears them out, so the birds might not live as long. Laying will also stop when any hen is moulting

 

Pure breeds lay less often anyway and will tail off a bit in the winter, so that each hen may lay only a couple of eggs a week. They are also more susceptible to going broody as I well know! Buffie has a theory that the broodiness rests them from the drudge of laying. But I got my ladies because I love chickens - the eggs are just a bonus

[Jools]

Hybrids are much more reliable layers than pure breeds as that's what they're bred for. Commercially, farmers use additional light during the winter to keep them laying right through, but this is hard on the poor chickens who surely deserve a bit of a rest!!

 

My pure breeds have started to slow up a bit now. I was getting 15-18 eggs a week and am down to 7-8 now as one has stopped completely and the other two are laying on alternate days. Last year my RIR stopped completely for a couple of months, whereas my Marans (now RIP) only had a short rest before starting up again.

 

I hate having to buy eggs but at least we have a very good farm shop near Kendal where the chickens roam the fields and car park, which doesn't feel toooo bad. I'm always tempted to chicken-nap a couple while I'm there as they're such gannets, always on the scrounge for s"Ooops, word censored!"s ........ I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult!!!!!

[feemcg]

I've had my chickens for 3 weeks today - for 3 days after they started laying I was getting 2 eggs a day. Since then I've had an egg almost every day from Bully, eh I mean Beauty, so whoever was laying the second egg has completely stopped - its 13 days since I had 2! I didn't think they would start laying then stop again after 3 days.

[ali-s]

I've got 4 Bantams moulting at the moment so no eggs from them. They stopped laying about a month ago.

 

Daisy and Ruby are laying an egg each every other day. Eggs are rationed at the moment and I am going to have to buy half a dozen tonight as I have to do some baking for the childrens swimming club. I hate having to buy eggs.

 

I am just hoping the moulting 4 start laying again after their moult. It will be horrible if I have to wait until Spring.

[The Dogmother]

I'm the same Ali; out of my pure-breeds 2 are broody, one may be starting to moult, but is far to delicate and posh to do anything so common as laying eggs! The other three lay irregularly at the best of times and Only Dolly (my blue egg girl) lays like a trouper, bless her socks.

 

I intend to give them a good checking over this evening and a worming too, give them porridge every morning for a while and see if that helps.

 

[ali-s]

Mine have been having pellet porridge and poultry spice in the morning.

 

Two of the moulters are on their second moult in less than a year It was months before they laid again

[harveypup]

I've had my chickens for 3 weeks today - for 3 days after they started laying I was getting 2 eggs a day. Since then I've had an egg almost every day from Bully, eh I mean Beauty, so whoever was laying the second egg has completely stopped - its 13 days since I had 2! I didn't think they would start laying then stop again after 3 days.

 

Ours laid quite erratically too at first every other or every 2 days but they then had a break for about 15 days and then started again and I have had one each more or less every day ever since.

I like to think that the first eggs we had were "practise" eggs until their cycle was established - after all it takes a while for us humans to get regular!

[feemcg]

Thanks Harveypup - thats reassuring. At least girlie cycles aren't daily!

[CannyCat]

Thanks Harveypup - thats reassuring. At least girlie cycles aren't daily!

 

Oh gawd, could you imagine?!