jlo Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I am pretty certain that this will be ok on the chickens thread rather than the egg thread?? There is another query on here about non laying hens but I didn't want to hijack that thread as my question is a bit different... Stop rambling woman and get on with it!! Bella started to lay at the beginning of July and has been reasonably consistent since then only missing a day here and there. However, this is now the fifth day without eggs. I have had a search around the garden to see if there is anywhere else she could be nesting but they haven't been free ranging that much over the last week so I don't think that this is the case. She is eating and drinking and is fairly happy in herself. As I have said before, she is a bit lazy anyway and will hang around waiting for treats rather than scratch for grubs. I have laid off the treats a bit and they have all been wormed last week. She has also stopped crouching when I go near her which is slightly worrying. Sorry to go on a bit but I wondered whether anyone had similar experiences or advice for me. Thanks team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 She could be going broody... my cochins stop crouching just before their broody episodes. Is she quite a young hen? Any sign of a moult? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 She is no more than eight months old. She isn't sitting constantly on the nest and there is no sign that she is moulting. Can they be broody at that age??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky28 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Hi sorry am a new chcicken keeper . what does crouching mean please ? i have only had my girls for a week and my light sussex always crouches when i go near her as if she wants me to pick her up !! is this the same thing you are talking about or does this make no sense ? thanks She could be going broody... my cochins stop crouching just before their broody episodes. Is she quite a young hen? Any sign of a moult? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 It sounds like the same thing. Crouching means that your hen is at point of lay or nearly there - so if you havent got eggs yet, you soon will! The hen crouches because they think you are the cockerel when you are approaching it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky28 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 oh thanks x how exciting !! i have noticed a bit of mucusy blood in some of the poos too . all the birds seem happy !! any ideas on this please ? It sounds like the same thing. Crouching means that your hen is at point of lay or nearly there - so if you havent got eggs yet, you soon will! The hen crouches because they think you are the cockerel when you are approaching it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky28 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 oh your chicken could't be eating her eggs then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 oh your chicken could't be eating her eggs then ? No I have seen no sign of that. This is a shameless attempt to bump this up again as it has now been a week without eggs but no other obvious broody signs apart from the lack of crouching and I would really appreciate any hints that more experienced omleteers may have. Do they get broody at such a young age or is she prematurely menopausal??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Has the weather been any different, have you had any storms? We had a terrible few thunderstorms and it was hot (back a while ago), and this stopped Sarah-Jane laying for 2 weeks, although she's back to her usual laying now. She was also crouching less aswell. Fingers crossed it'll resolve itself for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 I have two small hens (both are white but one has a black comb - I don't know what make they are..possibly bantam type crosses) anyway they are about 10 months old now and both have been broody on and off since May. It's usually Doodle with the black comb that starts it, then Do just copies her!! Although they don't sit constantly on the nest box..they are sort of half-heartedly broody...taking themselves off to bed earlier than they need to these light evenings...and making those odd clip clopping noises as they go round free ranging. They eat and drink ok during these episodes. The reason I think it is broody behaviour is that I have been able to nip it in the bud the last couple of times, by using a dog crate inside the eglu run at night time, but it still takes them about a week to get back in to laying again....and I have had to resort to buying eggs much to my OH disgust ( he loves our home grown fresh ones but has only just stopped complaining about the cost....initial outlay of Eglu etc etc. He recently calculated that the eggs we have had to date cost about £20 each ) I don't care, to see the two of them trundling around the garden together is priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky28 Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 as regards to the egg eating !! only from what i ahve read on here they don't leave any signs they manage to totally clean it up . you could try blowing out an egg and filling it with mustard ? would rule egg eatin out ? oh your chicken could't be eating her eggs then ? No I have seen no sign of that. This is a shameless attempt to bump this up again as it has now been a week without eggs but no other obvious broody signs apart from the lack of crouching and I would really appreciate any hints that more experienced omleteers may have. Do they get broody at such a young age or is she prematurely menopausal??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I'm having the same problem with my two and have just come to the conclusion that whilst it may be that they need worming, or they are moulting, the weather or a combination of all of those in varying degrees, having spoken to people with a lot more experience than me it could just be that they are taking a break and once they've rested they'll be back on line. As long as they are healthy and happy there probably isn't too much to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I didn't realise mine were eating the eggs for ages . I think I broke the habit (or they may just have stopped as they started laying harder shelled eggs) by smearing English mustard on and in the shells of used eggs. It was hilarious to watch the indignant beak wiping afterwards . I also got two pot eggs which they now ignore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
