Poorly chicken

[Microstead]

So Fanta, my miniature blacktail, started laying eggs on 20th August at approx 23 weeks, and she's laid every day since. Sprite, my miniature experimental breed suprised me by laying a green egg on 31st August at 21 weeks and has laid every day since. Vimto my miniature bluebell laid on Saturday I think as she stopped free ranging and ran to the coop and stomped about squarking and later I found an egg in the nesting box. I think she' laid yesterday and today as she was similarly stomping and vocal until she had laid. I watched Pepsi lay her first egg yesterday I believe on Sunday. She began returning to the coop and acting like Vimto and when I went to check she was OK in the nesting box, she laid an egg before my eyes. But I only got three eggs yesterday so somebody didn't lay and that must either be Fanta or Vimto.  The same happened today. I got one green egg and found Fanta properly sitting down on two eggs in the nesting box. She made a funny noise at me but didn't fluff up her feathers when took the eggs and happily socialised with the others when I removed her out to free range with the others and is feeding and eating fine. Is it possible that she isn't laying anymore after the others started laying as she is feeling broody? 

 

 

 

[Cat tails]

An egg takes about 26 hours to develop. So most chickens don’t lay every single day of the week. Even production hens lay about 300 eggs a year. I’ve had a hen that always did alternating days. Absolutely nothing to worry about.

[mullethunter]

Certainly doesn’t sound like anything to worry about for the time being. She could be thinking about being broody or she might have just been having a cosy sit down.

Love your naming theme!

[Microstead]

Thank you CT. Im scared I will miss one of them becoming egg bound or something. I've grown quite attached to my chooks and am worried for,them having been bred to produce so many eggs. 

Thanks for the reply MH. I had their names planned before I even got them...well Fanta, Pepsi and Sprite''s anyway as I was only planning on getting 3 chooks. VI'm to was an extra after I was pursued to get 4 bantams by the seller. 

I think Fanta is feeling broody. I removed one egg this morning and I think it's Pepsi''s.  Later I found Fanta sitting in the nesting box on nothing but she's pulled out about 10,feathers and raised her feathers and made a strange sound when I picked her up and put her with the others who were free ranging. She''s eating mealworm with them as I type.

Please excuse my typos, they're not really my typos but the stupid spellcheckers

[Cat tails]

Yes that sounds like a broody. Turf her out or stick her in a broody cage.

[Microstead]

Thanks CT. I went and checked on them again whilst they were out in the garden and Fanta was back in the nesting box raising her feather at me and making a weird noise.  I got my pet cage ready to put her in and when I went to pick her up not only could I see bald patches on her chest but she was sitting on an egg, which may or may not have been hers. I've put her back in the garden but if I find her in the nest box again she will have to go for a stay in chicken jail ie a small pet cage. She is the chicken with the most maternal nature, my two youngest always used to hide under her wings when I first got, them and she picks bits of everyone when they are dustbathing

[Microstead]

So despite plucking out some feathers on her belly and being a bit grouchy, Fanta,  along with the three others laid an egg today. So it seems Fanta is semi broody if there is such a thing. 

[Cat tails]

They can lay a few eggs at the beginning of their brooding period.

Have a look at DM’s video on broody cages:

 

[Microstead]

Thanks CT, that's interesting to know.  I watched this and many other videos from DM before I got the chickens, but it's a really helpful reminder.