Auto door randomly closing during the day

[Ed Picaloon C Boodle]

Hi all

 

First post for me, I am fairly new to chicken keeping so please go easy on me!

I have had my 4 girls since October, first lay in late November, ever since we have been receiving 3-4 eggs per day.

 

For about 3 months now that has dropped down to about 1-2 egg per day, we can't understand what is going on.

At the moment they are being fed every day, their chicken pellets (layers) , 3 handfuls of hemp seed scattered, loads of veg peelings, and a bit of grit.

 

My theory is that we changed the brand of feed, about half a year ago, however i would first like to check if this is just something all chickens do.

 

On a side note their names are Kate, Heratio, Gillian and Steve.

 

Finaly any one who knows anyhing about my profile name gets a awesomeness point

[chicken bark]

I'm assuming that you got your chickens at POL so they should have a good couple of years of laying left.

 

If I were you I would worm them and cut out the treats for a bit.

 

Good luck with it all.

 

(I am not going to get an awesomeness point)

[Ed Picaloon C Boodle]

Thanks for the reply

 

Yes they were point of lay when we bought them.

 

I shall have a look a worming now, thanks for the advice

 

To bad about the awesomeness point though....

[Egluntyne]

I'd worm then too, and shouldn't it be PicaRoon? and you are a Dark Jedi.

[chicken bark]

I'd worm then too, and shouldn't it be PicaRoon? and you are a Dark Jedi.

The force is strong with you Egluntyne.

[Snowy]

There is nothing that Egluntyne does not know!

 

Mr Boodle - maybe you need to cut back with the peelings and extras. Just give them layers pellets for a few days and hopefully they should increase again. Effectively though, expecting an egg a day is expecting them to lay at intensive farming levels. Layers pellets are designed to give them all the nutrients they need for optimal laying. Varying their diet like you are doing, means they will lay less frequently, but they will have more interest and stimulation in their lives.

[Ed Picaloon C Boodle]

*Hastily checks Wookiepedia*

 

*Clench fist* *deep breathing* must remember not to force grip the cat.

 

there is only one star wars way to sort this problem out.

 

"NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!!"

[sjp]

check the sell by date as well on the pelletts I had the same thing happen last year they'd only been laying a few weeks and I changed from a goodish brand to a cheap brand as one of my girls layed double and softies more often than not cheap brand cured that but egg numbers dropped off both brands had short sell by dates swapped to a third brand Autum time best thing i did got the odd double or 3 easter and the odd softie in the last week or 2 but thats down to 2 girls that have beening laying for a year and need to take a brake

[EdPicaroon C Boodle]

Call me a perfectionist, but this truly is for all you Star Wars fans out there

"Strike me down and i shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine" And change the L for an R

 

Thanks very much, i did not think about sell buy dates.

 

You people are just great for quick responses

 

Egluntyne gets the awesomeness point still though

 

Cheers all

[Mollie333]

You lot make me laugh!

 

Worm the birds, thats all i can think of, sorry.

[EdPicaroon C Boodle]

No Problem

 

thanks for the advice we are going to pick up some wormie stuff this week i hope.

[Mollie333]

Ohhh, and if they have started laying, then just stopped, check if anythings in the nesting box (mites, expecially in the weather) and then if they have free range time they may have laid there eggs under a bush or something.. Mine did this when i was on holiday.. i came back with a very broody chicken sat on dud eggs!

[Egluntyne]

If they are free ranging, have a dekko round the garden to see if they have taken to laying under a bush or shrub.

 

I'd also limit their diet to pellets and water, cut out treats, and keep them confined to the run till the afternoon, to ensure that they eat the nutritious pellets.

[EdPicaroon C Boodle]

Thanks for all your advice guys.

 

I have tried Just pellets and free range time and we are back up to 3 eggs a day.

Thank you all for your help.

 

I did find one or two eggs under the shrubs in our garden

 

Ed