How can I find my old pictures?

[sleepymummy]

So, my and gave up laying at Christmas. We have been hit and miss ever since then but is now giving us one a day and has been for the last 3 weeks or so. (they were both one a day, each from last July when they started laying, until Christmas)

 

sleeps a lot, sits on the nest for about half an hour to an hour a day, fluffs her feathers a lot and sleeps wherever. If i open the back door she shoots over in their run to see what tit bits I have for them - none at the moment as I don't know what is the matter.

 

Took them to the vet who was happy that they are both happy, healthy, no mites, good comb, good feathers, not distressed, not too fat, not too thin. I have wormed them this year and am doing it again just to be sure, grit is introduced, they eat organic layers pellets.......don't know what else to say really. HELP! What is the matter wth her? Surely she's too young to stop laying?

 

Any ideas greatly appreciated!

[emmaw298]

Hi sleepymummy, what breed are your hens? it doesn't say but I'm assuming they're not ex-bats from the colours you've described so probably not likely to be a calcium issue though wouldn't harm them to try a short course of limestone flour to to see if this helps. how are the quality of the eggs that the black hen lays? are they good shells?

 

The only other thing I can think of (if the vet ruled out any health issues) could be that they are a bit bored (which might affect egg production but I don't know) - you mention that your brown hen sits and sleeps a lot. have you tried anything to keep them alert and perky such as hanging broccolli or a lettuce football? Or a mirror for them to admire themselves? Or a peckablock??

Like I said, I'm just guessing but worth considering I spose...

Good luck and hope you get more eggs soon!

[Plum]

Is she half hearted broody?

[moochoo]

I would say broodiness too. I have one girls that does this fake laying too. She sits on the nest for at least an hour and produces diddly squat. She doesn't exhibit the full broody behaviour but she does go off lay when she does this sitting.

You could give her bottom a dunk in cold water, which is not too bad in this warm weather or pop her in a broody cage maybe just overnight if she's not fully broody. See if she snaps out of it.

It'll take her a short while to come back into lay if this is the case.

[sleepymummy]

Hi thanks for those ideas. My is a Miss Pepperpot and my is a Ginger Nut Ranger - as supplied by Omlet a year ago. I don't think it's boredom. They have a large run and often free range around the garden but I have ordered some of those sweetcorn pecking hanging things. I may give the limestone flour a go if all else fails.

 

I didn't realise they could be half broody. She certainly isn't showing all the broody signs but this has been going on for over a month now. Very frustrating. I'll try and dunk her bottom and see what happens!

 

many thanks.

[The Dogmother]

I'd cut right back on the treats and give them a good quality poultry tonic in the water. That might work.

[chocchick]

Is it just one hen not laying?

If fluffed up could be broody, she might be warm underneath or pluck feathers for the nest or cluck or appear to be in a trance. Does she sit down a lot or is she preening when you say she fluffs her feathers. A broody will appear bigger as walks round with fluffed up feathers.

Does she look at all miserable or close her eyes i.e. look ill?

I actually found cold water didn't help my broody, I isolated into a broody cage.

I'd cut right back on the treats and give them a good quality poultry tonic in the water. That might work.

If they're filling up on green stuff from the garden or not keen on pellets they might not be getting the nutrients needed to lay eggs.Do they eat a lot-they will if laying eggs. You could swap to mash, or confine to the run in the morning-if they're not already.

How old are they? Katy gave up 1-2 years in and is a gingernut ranger.

[sleepymummy]

She is fluffed up most of the time. The feathers at the top of her legs look a bit tatty and there is the odd one I see floating round the garden. I only let them out into the garden once or twice a week, purely for selfish reasons really, I got tired of poopa-scooping! She does look miserable, looks ill. Must be broodiness but it seems to have been going on for such a long time. I only have 2 hens. I got them last May and they laid their first egg in July last year. They stopped laying at Christmas, moulted and Marsha has only just got back into the regular swing of things really. I cut right back on treats a couple of weeks ago - not that they get an awful lot mind, only when my mum and auntie come and stay - they're obsessed! I have had to be quite stern with them!

 

So, if she is broody what do I do? Dunk? Isolate? Why do they need isolating? how do i go about that? Does she need a wooden egg to sit on - mind you, marsha lays quite early and sometimes i don't collect until lunchtime and Gloria isn't bothered about trying to hatch those!

 

to be honest they're not that bothered about the layers, I'm getting some different food tomorrow they might like and as for the tonic, they really don't like that however, in this warm weather if that's all they have to drink they probably will won't they?

 

Gloria also goes to bed early at the moment. She goes a full hour before I'd expect her to.....

[Egluntyne]

Article on managing broody hens **here**

[sleepymummy]

Thanks for all the advice, and the article. i still don't know if she is broody as she only sits on the nest fo about half an hour. She is fluffed and droopy but her comb is red.....

 

I'll just have to wait and see I guess!

[Egluntyne]

I'd worm her with Flubenvet and se if that makes a difference.

[sleepymummy]

The vet suggested that too. I am 3 days in. Let's see eh?!!!

[Mattaz]

There are two possible reasons! Broodiness is one and also it is quite common for chickens to drop in egg producing in winter because of moulting.