BocBoc Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Our three girls who have regularly laid one egg a day each since they started laying at the beginning of April have now gone on strike and we are down to one egg per day. I usually let them out at 6am for 2 - 3 hours in the morning before work then shut them in their run for the day, then let them out about 5:30pm until bedtime. For the past couple of weeks we have had a new lodger move in and he works funny hours so when he's been around during the day, the chickens have been free-ranging pretty much all day - from 6am til bedtime. Could it be possible that they are free-ranging too much and this is a contributing factor to our low egg count? I filled up their grub with layers pellets on Friday last week and it's still got plenty left in it this morning so they are obviously filling up with garden goodness and not their pellets. The eggs that we are getting are normal size with strong shells. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henhathnofury Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Perhaps they are eating goodies like worms etc but they should still be laying. After all, before the industrialised feed, people feed chickens on s"Ooops, word censored!"s or/and they free-ranged - but their bodies are still programmed to lay. This is going to sound terrible, but could your new lodger be helping themselves to eggs? It is a difficult one to broach I know but it is odd that the arrival of the lodger and departure of the eggs coincide... Sometimes people consider that eggs are nature's bounty...even if they belong to someone else. Or could the girls be laying in bushes. My chicken did that a few months ago; she used to run out to the bush like an old lady bursting for the loo, then walk back almost whistling. When we investigated there were three eggslaid over a couple of days! It was the arrival of new girls that did it and sometimes new people might stress chickens in the same way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Why not do an experiment? Ask the lodger to leave them in their run until noon before letting them out. Give that a go for a few weeks and count up the eggs . Our chickens freerange from noon till approx 5pm in the summer. Our reasoning is that it ensures they will eat their balanced feed during the morning. /\dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I agree, keep them in the run till at least midday. That way they will fill up on pellets, which have all the nutrients they need, and if they are laying under a bush or something it might sort that out too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I dont let mine out til later in the day and usually after they have laid. GIve it a go. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 Thanks for your prompt replies Dann is a friend as well as our new lodger and he'd rather go to Burger King than cook something!! I don't think he's pinching the eggs. I've scoured the garden in case eggs have been laid elsewhere but haven't found anything - we don't have bushes or any plants so they would be easy to spot I think. I left the girls in the run this morning - Dann will be home at 2pm ish so I've asked him to let the girls out then and to check for eggs too. When I left for work this morning I think Pmsl was in the nesting box - fingers crossed for some eggs for tea - was hoping to have toad in the hole!! Will see how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I'd keep them in the run till midday so that they tank up on pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Ok - girls were in the run until 3pm yesterday - one egg. I have left them snoozing in the run this morning - they will be let out at around the same time again later. No eggs as at 8:30am.....fingers crossed for three later!! As a side, we discovered they like melon! Dropped a couple of skins on the path last night on the way to the compost bin and the girls went barmy for them - seeds and flesh - is this usual?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 As a side, we discovered they like melon! Dropped a couple of skins on the path last night on the way to the compost bin and the girls went barmy for them - seeds and flesh - is this usual?! Mine love the seeds too! Glad it's not just ours!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 You mean you hadn't tried them on it already? Mine love pepper seeds and butternut squash seeds as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Oh! TBH we thought we had the fussiest chooks known to man. Corn and dried mealworms were the only treats they would eat. I think as they are getting older they are trying new things - a bit like humans I suppose! Cucumber is now firm favourite and they also like popcorn!! The GNR's like the whole thing but the prefers just the kernels - we have to watch how we spell that - don't want them thinking we are taking them to KFC Will def be trying them with different seedy treats this weekend on your recommendations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 Good news - one week of being in the run all morning and only let out in the afternoon and we have had 3 eggs today - yippeeee!! The pellets are being gobbled up and all eggs today have been nice sizes (53g / 55g / 69g). Toad in the hole is back on!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 That's good news . Wish I could say the same for my girls . They're in the run all morning and most of the afternoon on Mon/Tues/Wed but I still come home to only one egg if I'm lucky. I got 2 broken eggs today . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I'm not sure that lots of free ranging time reduces the amount of eggs. Since I got my electric fence my girls are out all day from 6.15am until dark (currently about 9.30pm). They all look blissfully happy running about and scratching all day and have rewarded me by laying better than when they were confined to the runs for most of the day. I'm sure i've read that fit hens are better producers than those that are more sedentary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 I'm not sure either. Still, we are back on three eggs a day now the girls are free ranging less - could be a coincidence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
