jefferp Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hi, Wonder if you could provide us with some advice? We have three hens, a pepperpot and two gingernuts. They will be 3 this year. Our egg supply has all but dried up over the past 4 -6 weeks with only one egg this week We've stopped giving them treats so that they only eat their pellets and as we always removed the eggs daily I had not considered that they may be broody. But this morning there are lots of ginger feathers about, which before I looked on these super helpful forums I thought was a moult, but now think they could all be broody? Should I shut the door on the cube in the day (they are in a big high fenced area) and block off access to the nesting box for the evening? Poos started to appear in the nesting box so I know they have been creeping in there I was thinking of getting another 3 hens this morning...it's just not possible to poach an egg properly from the supermarket. All advice is very much appreciated. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 It's possible they have been on a winter break going by their age. It also sounds like at least one of the gingernuts is moulting, which she would also stop laying for. If they have had a winter break they will start laying again as the days get longer. But if you are really missing eggs and you have the space it might be worth getting a couple more hens so you'll have eggs through the winter next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 You are doing well or more patient than me! My 4 omlet girls are now nearly 2 years old and we are getting 2 eggs a day..one is on a moult at the present and we have 2 newbies who are 6 months 1 x bluebelle and 1 x similar to ginger nut ranger who are laying most days (yippee). Have got morehens disease at the moment. I presume the older girls are just getting a bit too old for laying?? Have tried everything else ie worming etc, no free ranging. The 2 eggs total is from all 6 girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefferp Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hi surfer_chicken, I'd also read about a "winter break", so thanks for the confirmation. We have been worried about them even though they have not displayed any obvious sign of illness, so have been grasping at explanations. So it looks like I potentially have a good problem, three new chickens to add, now have to decide which breed Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefferp Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Heheh clucker1, I don't know if it was deliberate, but the omitted space in morehens disease had me re-read that sentence a couple of times, and almost resort to google before the penny dropped. I think it is possibly quite contagious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I did the same when I first saw someone mention morehens on here. It's quite common amongst chicken keepers unfortunately, with only one way to cure it (in the short term) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzieLloyd Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 My girls havent laid an egg for 6 weeks (since Betty the black pekin died). I'm putting it down to stress at losing one of their group but think their age may now be playing a factor as they are almost 3. Thank goodness I dont like eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 My original Omlet girls (all in chicken heaven now RIP) all stopped laying at around 2 1/2 years and then all died around the age of three. Hybrid hens are built to lay lots of eggs for a short period of time and I don't think they live as long as pure breeds though I'm sure there are exceptions. We just got some more hens when ours stopped laying so we weren't without eggs and let the others just live out their days happily until they passed away. Out of the 7 hens I have, 2 don't lay though I may get the odd egg when the weather warms up from them. I am doing well if I get 4 eggs in one day but it's usually 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks koo2cat for that. I keep think I am doing something wrong with the girls. Keep checking them for lice, have wormed them etc, but think it is probably Mother Nature. Thinking about getting burford browns and or cotwold legbars....what are your legbars like? Can't decide what type to buy...chickens that lay eggs all year or something which will do pretty eggs...decisions decisions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Clucker1, I am really pleased with my Skylines which is a hybrid derived from the Cotswold Legbar, in fact they look just like a pure Cotswold Legbar. They have recently come into lay and lay the most beautiful green/blue eggs. I have even had a double yolker! Because they are Hybrids they should lay all year round, they are extremely pretty hens too. We got ours from Ollies Chripy Chickens in the West Midlands, who also have a website. They also sell Burford Browns which I am really fancying!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks koo2kat I would quite happily get those chickens, but I think your supplier is a bit too far from Surrey (where I live) to collect them. They do sound great as they should lay all year round. I don't think I can get Burford browns round here, not sure about skylines. Definitely something that is going to lay, as we have got used to all of the lovely eggs. I now have 2 egg customers too and don't want to disappoint them either...they so love our eggs. Your chickens do sound lovely though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hi, Wonder if you could provide us with some advice? We have three hens, a pepperpot and two gingernuts. They will be 3 this year. Our egg supply has all but dried up over the past 4 -6 weeks with only one egg this week We've stopped giving them treats so that they only eat their pellets and as we always removed the eggs daily I had not considered that they may be broody. But this morning there are lots of ginger feathers about, which before I looked on these super helpful forums I thought was a moult, but now think they could all be broody? Should I shut the door on the cube in the day (they are in a big high fenced area) and block off access to the nesting box for the evening? Poos started to appear in the nesting box so I know they have been creeping in there I was thinking of getting another 3 hens this morning...it's just not possible to poach an egg properly from the supermarket. All advice is very much appreciated. cheers. Feathers around does not equate to brood, but to moult. If your girls are sitting in the nest box and making noises at you when you look in, that could be broody? However, a more definitive sign is, they will race out of the nest box, frantically eat/drink and then race back to the nest box! If you shut the door to the cube, would they still have access to food and water? Not quite sure what you hope to achieve by doing this? My instinct tells me you are dealing with moult rather than broodiness. Recouperation (in terms of eggs) can take an age!! At 3yrs old their egg production could well be slowing down - which is why keepres of hens for egg production, keep a rolling stock. Hen keepers in the style of back yard chicken keeping, choose their breeds for reasons of either a) big egg producers b)meat producers c) neither! We lurve our chooks! I do hope you find a reply which gives you comfort, advice, and a perspective on viewing your hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 The Cotswold Legbar is not a pure breed, both that and the Skyline are hybrids whose make up involves the Cream Legbar which is a pure breed. The Burford Brown is also a hybrid. The upside of hybrids is that you get plenty of eggs though! Hybrids will only lay reliably through their first winter and will take some sort of break in subsequent winters Pure breeds will lay less eggs per year but over more years, a good utility strain of heavy bird such as Sussex, Wyandotte and Rhode Island Red lay well as do the light breeds such as Ancona, Leghorn and Minorca Both have their advantages so pick what is best for you Surrey Poultry have some knowledgeable enthusiastic owners so they would be worth a visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thank you for your help Redwing. Think I will contact Surrey Poultry (who are only 10 mins away) to see if they have any other stock as there are 4 hybrids on the website. Wouldn't mind a legbar and or burford brown type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Skyline is the most common name for the Legbar type hybrid but another is 'Jasmine' these have a70-85% chance of laying a blue or green egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thank you Redwing. Another thank you for your point about hybrids not laying so well in their second winter, now I know what the girls are up to or not up as the case is! Off to do some chicken shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Have fun shopping, chickens are rather addictive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
