Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[Pip]

Hi. We've had Lily for about 5 weeks and she laid about every other day, until we came back from our hols last week. (Our friend who also keeps chickens was coming in to look after them). She was broody for a couple of days, but when I got the 2 eggs out, she was OK, but hasn't laid for 8 days now. Don't know if it was because they were shut in all week, or the daylight's getting less, or it's colder - any ideas? I have another chicken who stopped laying months ago - is it something I am doing wrong? She is only 2 - is it possible to start laying after such a long break?

Pip

Lily & Flossie

[Jools]

Colder weather and shorter days will affect egg laying. Also if she's two, then she will probably moult very soon and have a break from laying.

 

What are you feeding them? Hard though it is, it's better to refrain from giving them too many treats and making layers pellets (or mash) their main meal.

 

Have you wormed them at all? Or checked for lice or mites?

 

There are loads of reasons for no eggs, so it would be useful if you could help with a bit more info

[Pip]

Hi. Thanks for reply. Lily, who's the one who has just stopped laying is only about 30 weeks old. Flossie is 2, and stopped about 8 months ago, after laying soft shells for quite a while and eating them! Can't seem to get her to eat shell at all. We feed mainly layers pellets, and they don't have that many treats - a handful of corn every now and then, left over potatoes, tomatoes (their favourite) - all infrequently. They do free range all day.

I haven't wormed them - is that easy? I haven't noticed any worms. And I haven't seen any lice/mites. Lily is very hard to catch, as she's always been timid.

[Jools]

Hiya Pip

 

There's a sticky on worming: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4619

 

If you want to pm me you address, I'll pop a bit of Flubenvet in the post to you for this first time (I'm a dab hand at posting white powder in small plastic sachets now )

 

I must confess that I haven't actually had to treat mine for lice or mites (crossing fingers very tightly now), however what I do is make sure I add red mite powder / louse powder to their nest box and dust bath, so that can treat themselves. There's another helpful sticky though: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6949

 

It's odd that Flossie has stopped laying for so long, but if you rule out diet, worms or lice, it could just be one of those things I'm afraid. She may surprise you next spring! Lily should probably still be laying this winter, as it's her first, so again, rule out the other problems and keep your fingers crossed.

 

Good luck!

[feemcg]

My Jasmin stopped laying for 10 days but laid today - I think it was either the move into a new run, the arrival of new chickens or that I've started mixing their pellets with water into a 'porridge' and its going down a treat. I think some chickens just don't like their 'routine' changing.