Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 It occurred to me that this blip in laying sort of coincided with me putting a tyre in their run for a dustbath. I removed it yesterday as they didn't seem to be getting used to it at all and were avoiding a third of the run . Reading on the internet that stress can affect laying, I'm waiting with interest to see if egg production gets back on track (and will feel and if it does ). (Not started the Zolcal D yet as it hasn't arrived.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Yes, mine have gone off lay in the past after things like thunderstorms, changing their sleeping arrangements, very hot ( ) weather, seeing new chicks in the next door run etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Hmm sounds as if they weren't keen on it doesn't it. I wondered if we would have less eggs from the girls during the WIR upheaval and we didn't always get 3 a day so I think you might be on the right track. Hope they settle back to laying quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I had 2 eggs yesterday which is most unusual from my 7 - coincided with a possible fox visit 3 or so mornings ago so I think this was the cause. Yep stress definately does it (oh and girls were safely locked up in their secure run but could see the fox (if it was one) outside - they gave the neighbours a very loud dawn chorus - only way we knew!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I had 4 eggs today ....I've been getting 8-10!.....is it a full moon or something? Only thing I can think of is I've been out weilding my jet-washer the last few days doing hen houses, paths, decking etc........suppose it could be that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi ANH re stress & eggs, I would confirm that stress has a huge impact on egg production After the mink incident neither of ours laid for ages - it might even have been a couple of weeks or more. And after Sparky had a go at them Penny didn't lay for months High stress - low eggs Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyber Chook Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'm interested to see that quite a few people's chooks seem to be laying less, looking at a couple of the Omlet forums. My five girls are down to 2-3 eggs a day, just when I thought they'd be picking up after the winter drop. I'm worming them, giving them extra limestone flour (quite a few are softies), withholding treats etc, but so far, no improvement - we're only on Day 3 of the worming, so maybe it's a bit early to expect much? It's really useful to read about it here, and I'll just hang in there for now and see how it goes. They seem quite perky and cheerful, except when they're laying a softie. Egluntine, if you read this, by the way, I wanted to ask where you get the Vit D3 supplement from that you mentioned somewhere - you recommended giving it alongside extra calcium? ANH I hope your girls get laying again soon. I've started closing the Cube door at night, so that they don't disturb my neighbours with their bok-bokkings at the crack of dawn, so maybe that new routine is causing them a bit of stress. Thanks for raising this. Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 Since using it we seem to be getting slightly more hard shelled eggs but we're still getting one softie nearly every day . I'm going to buy some oystershell from Ebay as my girls do seem to use that bit of their grit up before the stones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 We had to take Cheyenne out and kit her with her own broody box - which hasn't gone down well with the others - even though her hogging the nesting box didn't go down well with them either! So far we had a weedy egg from Apache then she missed a day but she seems to have got over herself and laid today. Sioux on the other hand goes into the nestbox, scrabbles around, whinges and comes out again. We are on day 3 with no eggs from her. Bah humbug. Cheyenne (the normally super duper layer) on the other hand loves her little box and is quite happy without the other two squashing her. We did however put it in the cube run because I felt she was too vulnerable outside - even though we can lock it up. I agree - they had better get used to it, because it is staying for a while longer. Other than that they are very happy high-tailed lumps. Or it might have something to do with me giving her the first bum wash - hair dryer up the btm probably made her go "ooooh"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
