Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[poppy33]

My chickens are now three years old , I have a bovans, sussex and a little ginger not sure they have laid no eggs for the last two weeks, they are fit and well, wormed regularly and free range daily, I have searched the garden and can find no secret nests that they sometimes like to do, could they be eating them, I can see no mess or indication that they are but cant understand it. any ideas all you experienced chicken keepers

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry to tell you, but they can stop at about that age . Three of mine are about 3 - one hasn't laid for months, one laid a few a month or so ago (after a long break) but has stopped again, the third lays the occasional fart egg .

 

I think that's why people end up getting new chickens - otherwise you'd have no eggs at all .

[poppy33]

Thanks for your reply. Oh well it was good having the eggs while it lasted, I guess the girls have earned their retirement as they have laid very well perhaps I will now have to look towards getting another three, then there will be the problem of introducing them but others seem to have managed it and I do miss my eggs

[WitchHazel]

It is a bit strange that they all stopped laying at the same time though.

 

You could try reducing (or stopping the treats for a while.. to much corn and not enough pellets can reduce the number of eggs.

 

You could also try adding some "Lifeguard Tonic" to their drinking water. It's a sort of general purpose tonic. I used to use it only during the moult, but now that my oldest Girls is having trouble laying, I add a maintenance amount to the drinking water.

[poppy33]

I did think it strange that they had all stopped at the same time as I bought them all at the same time I just thought it was a chicken thing I dont really give them treats as they have a very large area in which to free range and find their own little insect treats. I use garlic powder and poultry spice regularly but will try the supplement you mentioned and hope that it makes a difference to them

[Tricky]

Hi Poppy 33

my Mrs Pepperpot is over 5 years old and is laying 4 eggs per week now She has certainly earnt her keep over the last 5 years

[poppy33]

Wow thats good, clever old pepperpot I think my three have had a chat and decided its retirement from now on but I love them even if they have decided no more eggs!!

They will however have to put up with the intigration of a couple of new comers not sure how smoothly that will go, I will be searching the forum for tips

[txswanie]

Sorry to tell you, but they can stop at about that age . Three of mine are about 3 - one hasn't laid for months, one laid a few a month or so ago (after a long break) but has stopped again, the third lays the occasional fart egg .

 

I think that's why people end up getting new chickens - otherwise you'd have no eggs at all .

 

ok, perhaps I am being a complete muppet here but what is a fart egg? I am not looking forward to those..

Colette

[Space Chick]

Sorry to tell you, but they can stop at about that age . Three of mine are about 3 - one hasn't laid for months, one laid a few a month or so ago (after a long break) but has stopped again, the third lays the occasional fart egg .

 

I think that's why people end up getting new chickens - otherwise you'd have no eggs at all .

 

ok, perhaps I am being a complete muppet here but what is a fart egg? I am not looking forward to those..

Colette

 

A fart egg or wind egg, is basically a tiny tiny egg, usually about 10-20g that only has white in it. They are formed when a bit of grit enters their system, and the reproductive system makes an egg around it, confusing the grit for a yolk.

[Egluntyne]

Have you wormed them and checked them and their housing over for any signs of lice or mites?

[poppy33]

They are wormed regularly using Flubenvet, and they look in tip top condition no signs of lice, the house is and inside a WIR so no signs of red mite, its a total mystery, we have had a rat problem lately but that seems to have cleared up now, would the rats have scared them I thought that the chickens were maybe eating their own eggs but i am sure i would have found some mess, then I thought were rats eating the eggs but they would leave the shell and I cant see any evidence do squirrels steel eggs, we do have those visit the garden from tome to time