2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[CrazyDaizy]

Hia Folks

 

Our two girls havent laid any eggs for what seems like months!!!

 

I am not sure if they may have laid but just scoff the lot before we get to them. We have a rubber egg in the run in the hope this might deter them from eating their own.

 

But there is rarely any evidence of eaten eggs, as surely there should be something left behind. Sometimes the nest seems wet.... do chooks wee as well as poop?

 

We have a Light Sussex (Malibu) approx 18 months/2 years old, though she may be a bit older than that as she was already laying when we bought her. And a dark brown chicken (Amber) with amber feathers round her neck (forgotten what she is) that's about a year older.

 

They don't seem that interested in eating their layers pellets. They free range most of the day. Even when I entice them back to the run with other treats like corn, even rabbit food, they just look very disinterested.

 

Both have recently come out of a moult, in fact the darker bird lost loads of feathers, but they are growing back again now.

 

Why no eggs? Why don't they seem bothered about stuff anymore??

[shoura]

well they won't be laying if they've been moulting.

[mrs chook]

We've got 7 chooks and are only getting one egg a day if we're lucky at the moment. All sorts of factors could be behind it, age, weather, worms, general health etc. Personally I just love having my girls, but more eggs would be good!

[Redwing]

If they are both pure breeds they will probably stop laying for the winter too, that added to the time taken to moult usually puts them out of laying for what seems like forever

 

Them not eating the pellets doesnt help, perhaps confining them to the run with access only to layers pellets may help things - they'll eat them when they get hungry enough!

 

Also try worming them

[Olly]

Firstly, hens tend not to lay (or to lay fewer eggs) during the shorter days of winter, secondly as said above, if they have been moulting then they won't usually lay at the same time. Thirdly, if I've understood correctly, you've got one chicken that's around 2 years old, and one that's perhaps 3 years old. Sorry to say it, but they may - especially the older one - simply have come to the end of their laying career.

 

There are a few things you could do - firstly, restrict their free-ranging time and keep them in the run for at least half the day. That way they will fill up with layers pellets, which have all the nutrients they need. If they are free-ranging all day then while they will be having a lovely time, they will probably not be eating enough layers pellets. Have you wormed them recently? I'd avoid any treats for a while, just to make sure they are eating plenty of the right stuff.

It may be however that, even if they are still laying, they won't start again till about February when the days get longer.

 

If all else fails, then depending on the size of your accommodation, could you get a couple of younger hens in the spring? I'm afraid hens don't go on laying for ever, and most of us have one or two living out a happy retirement after a long career in egg production.

[Plum]

They're not that old to say it's old age. Why not soak some pellets in warm water and add a few treats to it and a tonic to give them a lift. They sound contented though.

[Egluntyne]

I'd worm them with Flubenvet and confine them to their run for a few days so that they can only eat their pellets, It might make a difference, but at this time of year most hens go off lay anyway.

 

Also, if they free range all day, they may have taken to laying in the garden.

[coco]

I have nine hens and am only getting one or two eggs a day. If they have just moulted it could be a while before they start laying again.

[meezers]

I have a Light Sussex who laid her last egg in September, she moulted shortly afterwards and I won't expect her to come back into lay until spring. If your brown hen is a pure breed, then she will probably take a break until next year as well. I have 10 chooks, 9 are pure breeds and apart from my silkie, who is now broody, none have laid since October.

Have you room to get a couple of hybrid layers ? they will lay through winter,but will reach the end of their laying life before the purebreeds .

[Pharaoh]

3 eggs per day from 3 hens most days. They look at the snow in the morning and go back to bed to lay.

[Meganymoo]

I havent had a single egg from my chooks since september!!!

[quickcluck]

I think there are a lot of us suffer with 'no egg' syndrome. In fact there's a whole thread devoted to it!!!

 

But it's all been said, so i'd say check under all the bushes in the garden, confine them and they will eat pellets. It does take a while after a moult to begin laying again.

 

I've got 3 hens out of my 14 the same ages and they are not laying either, I think they could be in semi retirement! But worm them it always help

[Space Chick]

I'm getting about 2 eggs a day from my 16 due to retirements, moulting and winter pure breed break.

 

However, they are my babies, not egg laying machines, so as long as they are happy I am happy (although it does upset me when I need to buy eggs )

[Egluntyne]

I have over 20 hens and am lucky to get 4 eggs a day at the mo, but I'm not giving out P45s.

 

Come the Spring and I'll be drowning in them.

[Snoxy]

My two original Omlet girls have stopped laying now...we got them in April 08.

 

Daphne has been through moult and laid me her first beautiful blue egg since today

 

I have 17 hens...of which 6 aren't laying due to either age, moult or too young and I get on average 6 eggs per day

[sparkysmum]

Eight hens, zero eggs since about September or thereabouts! They are hard work this time of year, and I do worry about them when they're deep in snow & don't want to leave their house BUT I just look forward to the spring when hopefully I'll be giving eggs away again. Stick with them, be happy, Alli xx

[skye]

Six hens, had 3 eggs and 3 shell-less eggs... during the past six weeks or so. Older ladies, pure breeds and moulting

 

I'm just trying to get as much food inside them as I can to keep their strength up and get their condition back, bless em.

 

I think the ideas others have had to worm them and keep them in their run with layers pellets on tap for a few weeks is a good one. You may be able to enjoy them more then as you can go and visit them for chats

 

skye x

[Dolly]

After losing poor Holly on Monday, we'll be lucky if we get 1-2 eggs a week now. Roxy still lays on and off and we haven't had any from Lola for weeks.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if they never laid again, they're my pets first and foremost and I love them with or without eggs, but then I am a big softy!

[Stella14]

We have 4, 2 pure breeds, 2 hybrids. Only one hybrid has started laying so far. The other hybrid just needs a spot more time to mature and the pure breeds will probably start the job when the days start getting longer. Our laying hen, a Rhode Rock, Harriet, is a star, laying 6 days a week. As others have said, we are just concentrating on keeping weight on them at the moment. We must be doing something right because they are growing like crazy and look fabulous. The emphasis is on them being happy (must say they are not pleased about the snow), healthy birds. They will all be laying soon enough. I often read of hens not eating their layers pellets. I think it can be false economy to buy feed that animals don't eat enthusiastically. We got ours Wiggy Wigglers mash with bokashi from the beginning and they eat it with relish, both dry and as a warm mash. Others on the board have said they find Garvo very good. These feeds are more expensive than many, but there is no waste and plump, healthy birds.

 

As for hard work, this is nothing, a joy even. I admit I am used to looking after horses in the winter. There is no comparison. Believe me, chicken husbandry is a doddle (or should that be doodle)!

[Valkyrie]

8 pure breeds and only the silkie is laying at the moment. To be fair they all still have some moulting to do - I can tell because not all of the anti peck covered feathers have come out! All are at different stages, one pekin has only just started - not the sort of weather for the poor girl! Even the silkie is still moulting and laying at the same time - the black feathers are gradually replacing the tired old brownish ones, but then she's as nutty as a fruit cake anyway - she'll probably go broody again soon!

Didn't feel quite so bad when, at the National, Tom said he had 60 birds not laying at the moment.

[jellykelly]

I currently have 18 chickens but am only getting 2 eggs per day at the moment.

 

Those that had recovered from their moults have given up for the winter. The pure breeds, having spent a lot of time brooding over the summer/autumn have given up for the winter. The only reason I think two of the gingernuts are laying is because they wish to claim the nestbox as their own and ensure that they get the best spot at night!

 

Things will turn around in the spring time - but in the meantime, make this a time to ensure that your chickens are getting their fill of pellets, getting additional supplements of protein and calcium to get them through their moult and maybe help eggs along. I'd certainly worm them too at this time.