2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[jackie45]

I have had 2 chickens, Bella and Charlotte since June 08. They started laying July 08 and have continued pretty much daily since then. Over the past week there have been no eggs. I don't think they are hiding them in the overgrown garden so would I be correct in thinking their egg laying days are over? How much longer might their life span be? I am thinking of getting new girls next spring but I have no wish for my first girls to drop off the perch!

[alet_chicken]

Hi, what kind of chickens are they?

 

And was the number of eggs gradually reduced, or did it stop suddenly?

[Pikey]

I found with mine that they gradually stopped laying and there were quite a few softies.......at 2 years of age I don't think they should stop....just slow down.

 

Are they moulting or brood??? Is anything frightening them?? Are there any mites in the nest??

 

I would suggest worming them and just giving them pellets and nothing else. Perhaps stop them free ranging as well just in case they are laying elsewhere.

[sparkysmum]

We ahd almost no pekin eggs over the summer and in the last week we discovered that...............crows & magpies have been stealing them Is this a possibility with you? It seems odd that they've stopped laying together, which makes me think it's environmental & not biological

Alli x

[Purplemaniacs]

Have they been wormed recently?

 

I got my four girls in March 2008, I have lost two of them but the other two lay 3 to 4 eggs each per week, sometimes more. They are hybrids.

 

Chrissie

[Egluntyne]

I agree with Purplemaniacs - I'd worm them and limit their free ranging and treats so that they eat up their pellets.

[Olly]

I would definitely recommend worming them, and perhaps cutting down on treats, I take it they are not showing signs of moulting?

 

You don't say what sort they are, but for hybrids I would say two years is a pretty good length of egg-laying time. I found my Omlet Gingernuts laid prolifically but 'wore out' quite quickly. If you got them as POL in June 08 they were probably hatched in around January that year, so they are already 2.5 years old. You may get some more eggs from them, and the fact that they've stopped laying doesn't mean they are ready to drop off the perch for a while yet!

[Deb Dav]

I have had Doris, Edna and Audrey since April 06 - Doris is a calder ranger and Audrey a black rock, both of them lay nearly every day. Audrey is a bluebelle and I get about 3 eggs off her a week, all be it there are smaller then they used to be.

 

I ensure they are regularly wormed, poultry spice in the colder months and acv once a month - perhaps if you try worming etc you may get a few more eggs from them!

[jackie45]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. The girls are hybrids and are fit and well. They were wormed two weeks ago. They don't get many treats, just a bit of corn if I remember late afternoon. The idea of magpies etc stealing eggs is interesting. We live in the country and there are lots of jackdaws and magpies around. We are lazy (now we are retired!) so the girls are not let out until about 10.00am,(sorry), but the idea is interesting. We did have a softie today so perhaps hens have a menopause!!

best wishes

Jackie