hampton35 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and chickens keeping. We got our eglu up and 4 hens just over 3 weeks ago. They are now 22 weeks old. We have 1 egg each day after we got them few days, but then it stopped. I have not have eggs for 2 weeks now. I know Mr Fox has visited them and we have received the electric netting and will set it up this weekend as deterrent. Will Mr Fox affects their 'lay-ability'? Are they too young to lay? I have been told hybrid hens are not reliable layer, is that true? I have: 1 White Sussex 1 Blue Bell 1 Black Rock 1 Amber I got them from the same place and I have their full vaccinations records etc. They generally look happy. I feed them a couple of hands full of corns when I arrive home later afternoon everyday. Whenever I go to see them, they will walk towards me expecting food. We will let them free range a bit this week (with supervision). Am I missing something? Or I just have to be patient? It is just that I worried I have done something worng as I have 3 eggs before and stopped. Many thanks. Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 They were very young to be laying when you got them (21 weeks I would expect) and would normally stop for a few weeks when moved anyway Pheobe. This is due to stress of new surroundings. If a hen isn't happy with its environment generally they won't lay. A fox visiting will make them very insecure and they will stop laying. We've had chickens stop laying for 3 months after a fox visit. Hybrids are usually reliable layers and can sometimes go right through Winter in their first year, with perhaps only a few weeks break around December 21st, the shortest day. We had a Bluebell who was particularly unreliable though, so I hope yours is OK. So the sooner you get the fox well away from them the better. Any other potential predators can have the same effect, including domestic dogs. They seem to be able to tell the difference between a dog that would attack them and one that wouldn't. We looked after a Golden Retriever for a while and even though she was very energetic running around the runs, it didn't affect the laying noticeably. She never went right up to them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hampton35 Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Hi Beantree, Thank you for your comment. I will definitely set up the electric netting in the weekend - I will do it tonight, but it is pouring down outside at the moment. It is funny that you mentioned dogs. I have 2 Golden Retrivers, Ollie is not at all fuss about the chickens, he walks pass them and takes no notice. However, Amber is a bit more keen on them, she will run up to the run everytime we go to the garden and look at them for hours. Perhaps, I will have to train Amber from getting too close to them. Hopefully, it will make a difference too. I hope they will settle soon. Is there anything else I can do (apart from the electric netting) to keep foxes away? I do not think we have other predators apart from foxes and Amber! Thanks again, Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Hi Phoebe. Can't think of anything else apart from a full secure enclosure, which is a lot of work. Electric fences have good reviews but remember as soon as the power goes down a fox will be in. They can sense it is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hampton35 Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Thank you Beantree, At the moment, I prefer to move them to different part of the field every couple of days (and free range a bit), but I think when the number of hens increased, I will go for a complete secure coop/run setting. In relation to the electric fence, I had 2 batteries which will allow me to charge one while using one. I will be checking at least twice daily. We had one egg from one of the hens on Saturday and today. Hopefully they are maturing nicely. I started to research on how to take care of the girls during winter. I am an absolute beginner and just wondering do they normally come out during the day and what time will they go back to the coop. It gets dark as early as 3pm in December, does it means they will 'retire' at 3pm? I normally leave home at 8am. In winter, we do not have sun light until 9/10 ish, should I open the coop door beofre I go to work? I have helper who come in the middle of the day, I guess it will be too late to let them out at mid-day in winter? What do other fellow chickens keepers do? Many thanks, Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 They will go to bed when it gets dark and get up when it gets light as they would in Summer Hampton35. We always shut the coops at night, just for our peace of mind, even though the enclosures are quite secure. That used to mean me finishing work early to do it. Mornings I wasn't so bothered about, so used to open the pop-holes while it was still dark so they could get up whenever. It's important they don't get shut in the coop because they get very stressed and that's when problems start. Bit awkward at the moment in the mornings though. Fortunately our birds are very mature and are happy enough just sitting in the coop for a while. We have some youngsters though and they started taking chunks out of each other before I let them out, so now the pop-hole is left open all night, which is always a risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hampton35 Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Thank you for the re-assurance Beantree, I have so far managed to close the coop door every night before 10pm (the girls go in at 9:45pm) and open the coop door at 6ish in the morning. They seems happy enough. I will keep in mind the winter ritual and will organise my helper to close the coop door in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hampton35 Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Hello Beantree, Just wanted to let you know that three of my four chickens started laying daily now. I am so pleased! Thanks for the support. Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 That's great news, you can get automatic door openers although they are not cheap if you only have one house might be worth it to save someone having to open/close up for you, they can be light sensitive or some are on a timer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Pleased to hear that Hampton35. They are obviously now happy in their environment, particularly with your dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hampton35 Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 That's great news, you can get automatic door openers although they are not cheap if you only have one house might be worth it to save someone having to open/close up for you, they can be light sensitive or some are on a timer. Even on an eglu up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
