Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Shelle]

Hi. I'm hoping someone on here can help me. Zeb, my 2 year old bovans nera, hasn't laid for months and I'm lost as to the reason why.

 

At first I assumed she was just taking a break during the winter but spring has been and gone & summer has (sort of) arrived...and still no eggs from Zeb. Each of our girls lays a different colour egg so it's easy to tell which of them hasn't laid. Zeb is skinnier than I'd like but otherwise seems perfectly healthy. She's the first to run to the gate when you go into the garden, and is eating, drinking & scratching around normally. There's no sign of lice and I worm them quarterly with flubenvet.

 

I did also wonder if she was broody as she'd pulled some of the feathers from her chest but she doesn't display any of the other signs associated with this.

 

Have I missed something or done something wrong? Does she need to see a vet?

[Plum]

As long as she's well in other ways I don't suppose there is much a vet can do. I would check you feed is for layers and leave off any treats.

 

If it's any comfort, I have 5 free loaders at the moment and am contemplating buying eggs

[Shelle]

Thanks for the reassurance Plum. I was convinced I must be missing something.

 

I've had 3 free loaders in the past but they were long-ish retired ex bats so it was expected. I got Zeb so we could stop buying eggs, and I thought a POL would mean a few more egg laying years before retirement the irony!

 

They're definitely on layers pellets & don't get too many treats so no more I can do there really. She does seem well and active so I'll just keep an eye on her & try to stop worrying.

 

Thanks again x

[Plum]

I suppose while they're not laying they're not getting laying problems. You have to find a positive

[Princess Leia]

It's not just us, then...

 

Our 2 (bought from Omlet with the Eglu) stopped laying last November and haven't resumed production. They are now just over 2 years old, healthy, fed on Dodson & Horrell layers pellets, wormed, etc, etc. Both produced regular as clockwork from June 2011 to Nov 2012. Have even tried sneaking a bought egg into the nest to see if that would prompt anything. Nothing, nada, zilch.

Getting seriously fed up with this chicken keeping lark.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Funny I was thinking of posting about my Wellsummer, not laid in 10 days, nothing complared to yours. like yours tough she seems just fine and dandy in herself, not eating as much but is happy and seems well, eems an odd time to stop laying if you call this summer time.??? mine is only just over a year old too.