Poorly chicken

[BuryFCA1]

We have had our 6 girls for almost 2 years and have had plenty of lovely eggs regularly and consistently

 

Over the past 5-6 weeks we have only had 1 egg a day and on some days none whatsoever

 

We discovered about 4 weeks ago that a rat or two were creeping in and stealing food. So we placed poison down which has been eaten and concreted over all the ways the rats were sneaking in. Problem solved we have not seen any for weeks

 

Then I wormed the girls with flubenvet

 

Then I discovered red mite in the coop so have used diatom regularly for 2-3 weeks now and all the red mite is gone gone gone

 

But the girls still have to be forced to perch in the coop and often trying to sleep in the nesting box rather than perching. Also, our number of eggs has dropped dramatically. The girls look healthy and we think we have dealt with everything over the past couple of months but obviously we have not!

 

Please help with any advice as to why egg production has just dropped dramatically

 

PS - We don't think eggs are being stolen as the girls are locked away and "Ooops, word censored!"ody could get in

[sjp]

it's the time of year plus their age and they are probably about to or have started to moult

an egg need at least 10 hours of day light to be made plus as it's nearly al protein as are feathers a bird can't do both at once

I've got about 15 hens and only 3 laying the oldest is on 3 days on 1 day off the other 2 -1 egg every other day so your not alone the good news is the days start to get longer from the 24th of this month from the midlands south

[Egluntyne]

Your answer is in your question. They are two years old and so their laying will tail off significantly, especially now that it is winter.

[Chickabee]

Yep. I'm afraid you might have to buy eggs this winter. This is normal, they will come back into lay when they're ready. Pullets tend to lay through their first winter, which is why you had eggs last year.

 

Never mind shortest day soon

[PoachedPlease]

You still have red mite.

Diatom does NOT get rid of it once you have an infestation. It is a preventative but not a cure. The fact that your girls have changed their nesting habits are also an indication. I would get some proper red mite killer to prevent your girls getting ill.

 

Ps and as said above... It's their second winter, chickens often stop laying.

[Grandmashazzie]

I have same problem as you apart from rats.I sprayed coop with bedding in situ,then removed bedding and sprayed again.We did this 4 weekends in a row as well as putting red mite powder on girls and think it is gone.3 girls are also moulting.We usually open coop as it is getting light and go back mid morning to check for eggs there haven't been any for ages,but yesterday I opened hatch as they were leaving and there were3 lovely warm eggs!We now think we have an egg eater so have put a dummy egg in nest box so here's hoping it breaks the habit.

[Chickabee]

You're right, you need to use proper ride mite killer. I actually put mine to be on shredded paper mixed with red mite powder for a couple of nights

[Purplemaniacs]

I know some people say that hybrids lay all year but I have found that mine only laid in their first winter, after that they had a break.

 

I have had to buy eggs in the winter.

 

I haven't had any eggs for about a week now so will have to add eggs to the shopping list soon. I do think having a break is good for them.

 

Chrissie

[Chickabee]

Mine did exactly that. Laid first year. I've got one right now who's still laying, it's cause they're young and they've got loads of energy I reckon!

[The Dogmother]

Ditto to the above...

 

Age: they are coming to that time when they have less ova left and will start to slow down on the egg front.

 

Seasonal: less daylight usually equals less eggs, unless you have new pullets hatched after the longest day of the year, where they will continue to lay through their first winter. They may also be moulting, and as others have said, they need all their protein reserves to create the new feathers; make sure they get less treats and mix some powdered Biotin (available from feed stores) in with their pellets, this is a main ingredient in making feathers.

 

Red mites: I very much suspect that whilst you have given them a really blitz, that you still have mites in your coop, hence the birds' reluctance to go in there. I would dismantle it as much as possible, jetwash it, when dry, spray with Total Mite Kill spray or the Concentrate duly diluted, then powder with Buz Busters. Both of these will kill all the mites with regular use.

[BuryFCA1]

Thanks for all your advice everyone

[gongladosh]

Mine had red mite for the first time this summer (like so many others!) - I only really got rid of red mite when I swapped the generic pets at home red mite spray for Nettex Red Mite Spray (that's the one that lasts for a couple of months) - it quickly sorted things out.

[Patricia W]

Yep- Red Mite Powder smells nice but has no noticeable effect in my experience.