2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[LunaKiw1]

Our Ginger is 18 months old and laid every day (virtually from last April through to last month. Then we started getting softies (which she was eating0 then not even those. We've had nothing for a week or so now and i just wonder if she has run out of eggs? She is fine in all other respects.

 

Mon 8th Aug - we had two eggs in the nest this morning so definitely one from Ginger - the first one four several weeks whilst she's been moulting. It was 92g too so a good size. Thanks for all the comments below that made us realise it was a mini moult maybe and not an early henopause casing her problems.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Guest

[Olly]

It could be a temporary blip due to the weather, or she could be having a mini-moult. Has she been wormed recently, and does she otherwise seem in good health?

 

I'm assuming that Ginger is a Gingernut or similar? 18 months sounds a bit early, I think mine mostly went on until 2 or so, but every chicken is different so yes, it's possible that she has just run out.

[coco]

My ex batts Lily and lola are about two years three months are still lay most days. Lily had a rest for 2 weeks during the hot weather but i get an egg of each of them at least every other day. I'm waiting for them to slow down as I'm sure they will soon.

[christmas+grace]

My ex batts Lily and lola are about two years three months are still lay most days. Lily had a rest for 2 weeks during the hot weather but i get an egg of each of them at least every other day. I'm waiting for them to slow down as I'm sure they will soon.

 

Sue, owner of Grace and Christmas: I got my two gingernut rangers 12 months ago from the person who sold me their eglu, who told me they were 'about a year old'. For 6 weeks now, Grace has been producing either nothing at all, or eggs in which the shell is absent, and the membrane is either absent (i.e. it looks like an egg ready in the frying pan) or is comes out later like a deflated balloon. The other one, Christmas, was producing until about 2-2 1/2 weeks ago, and now all I get is a softie if anything. They both seem fine (are eating, have been wormed regularly, been fed pellets, and oyster shell) apart from just before they lay, and just after when they are quiet, hunched and sort of puffed up. I had to help Grace just now by pulling the membrane out, and the hole seemed distended - as these are my first 'girls' I feel rather at sea with all this. Could they be having their 'henopause'? Can anyone offer help/solace/etc?

[LunaKiw1]

Yes our Ginger is an Omlet Gingernut Ranger breed. I hadn't thought about a mini moult but now you've raised that, there have been a few of her feathers lying around in both the run and the garden so maybe there is still hope for more eggs.

[littlehenny]

I've got a and a which came from Omlet just over two years ago and they hardly ever lay. I've tried every supplement under the sun with no success so I think they have run out now Luckily I have two young Warrens who have just started laying regularly so I am getting enough eggs again

[chickencam]

She is probably just getting a bit tired with the long days and laying for so long. I can remember my girls doing that and having a couple of weeks off then laying for another month or so before their first moult. They all vary in how long they lay for.

 

I have a pepperpot who is 3.5 years old and she was laying until about 3-4 weeks ago and now she has stopped. she does quite often have a rest at this time of year though and I haven't given up on her laying again. I also have a Light Sussex of the same age and she is still laying about 4 eggs a week, she was laying 5-6 a week up until the last few weeks.

[hopetofinish]

If you only had an eglu and the 2 hens and they stopped laying, what are you going to do?

 

I want fresh eggs, and would not want to think I would be looking after birds for years with no return apart from a happy cluck!

 

I was thinking of getting the 3m cube. Would it be better to start with 3 chickens, and then a couple of years later add a couple more when the original trio stop laying, and therefore allow them to live out their lives in peace and luxury

[LunaKiw1]

Ginger is now in a full moult and looks really scruffy - but she seems to have perked up a bit. We found one small softie under the roosting bars one morning this week but otherwise have had no eggs; however, I'm less worried now I think there is a reason other than her reaching the henopause.

If both did stop laying but still lived for a few more years then we'd still keep them - their eggs are lovely but their funny personalities and the simple pleasure of watching them mooch around the garden and fight over worms etc would still suffice to off-set the cost of keeping them. To be honest if you add up the cost of all their additives like garlic, Bokashi, limestone flour, Stalosan plus their daily treats I think it would be much cheaper to just buy eggs anyway!

[whyde]

I just wanted to put in my tuppence worth here - I am the proud owner of a black rock cross, Penny, who we bought local chap 4 and a half years ago as part of a pair to replace one of our omlet chickens who was 'foxed'. Unfortunately one of this new pair and the other original omlet chicken were foxed aswell so she ended up by herself for a good 8 months and her laying was erratic and then stopped. We then became proud owners of a cocker spaniel and having dogproofed the garden we appear to have foxproofed it aswell as no sign of foxes for a couple of years now. We bought some companions last autumn and she started laying again. She went broody this spring and, fearing she would never get another chance we decided to put 12 eggs under her, 6 of which she hatched. I was quite prepared to see her waddle happily into retirement and never lay another egg again, but having raised 6 healthy happy chicks she has been a fantastic mother and the chicks are now 9 weeks old. Yesterday she started laying again!! DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR CHOOKS - they really are the most fantastic creatures!