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[BuryFCA1]

We have had 4 girls for 6 months now and then 2 months ago we got 3 more girls totalling 7. Over the summer our original 4 were laying regularly. My wife have recently taken a 2 week holiday and the girls have just given up laying. We arrived back 3 weeks ago but still NO eggs. The girls are happy, healthy, full of joy and energy but for the life of us we just dont know why they have stopped laying???

 

Why or why? Any advice greatly appreciated

[miller30]

Hi is there any sign of redmite in their house ? have they been wormed or could they be hiding their eggs anywhere leanne

[Lavenders_Blue]

Could you have an egg eater in your flock?

Could anything be taking the eggs (rats, magpies, neighbours )?

[Purplemaniacs]

After another post I like Lavenders Blue wondered if neighbours were taking eggs.

 

Do they FR? If so are they out and about rather than eating their layers pellets or mash? Do you limit treats to the afternoon?

 

Chrissie

 

[cyclonetog]

I agree Purple, first thing I thought is do they free range.

 

It's very normal to find a clutch hidden somewhere, they like a private place to lay so can find some very obscure places.

When I thought mine hadn't started I found 28 in the hedge one day. 2 years later when they had been laying in the Eglu for ages they all suddenly decided to go behind the compost heap and shed.

[BuryFCA1]

Thanks everyone. If anyone has other ideas or further advice then please keep it coming.

 

They are FR. I will have a good look around for eggs hidden somewhere but I cant think that that is the case and I would be horrified if neighbours were taking them but I will try and keep an eye on whats going on.

 

I will have a good look in the house for red mite too. What would the mites be like (apart from red obviously), I mean how big and where abouts in the house should I look specifically?

[miller30]

I only say about redmite as years ago when i first started keeping chickens i didnt know they got redmite and my 2 light sussex were eating loads of food and had stopped laying eggs when i heard about redmite i went and checked the house it was infested they had gone in all the nook and crannys so i burnt the house down. The chickens recovered and now 6 years on i still have ethel look under and at the end of the perches in the corners they are really small they will be red when they have fed or blacky grey and they are tiny about the size of a full stop the best time to catch them is at night when the birds have gone to roost get a torch ive actually seen them walking along the perches to the chickens leanne

[Egluntyne]

Have they been wormed?

[BuryFCA1]

Ok I will check for red mite tonight at dusk. No they have not been wormed. How would I 'worm' them?

[Purplemaniacs]

I use Flubenvet, you can either buy the powder and mix it into your pellets or you can buy the ready medicated pellets.

 

Chrissie

[Redwing]

A classic sign of red mite is a cigarette ash type deposit in corners/joins and on the ends of perches, check under the house and behind pop hole doors too

 

most of what I would suggest has already been suggested, in order I would say:

 

Red mite, laying elsewhere (often linked to a redmite problem) worms, egg eating, egg stealing (animal/bird/human) then lastly something frightening the birds

 

Sometimes you get one or two that just dont lay well and give up laying early on but it would be rare for you to have all birds like that *assuming* that they were point of lay when purchased and not older birds