chickens off lay

[annieigma]

Morning all,

I have 2 chickens and they have almost stopped laying. they are a year old roughly, and in the last three weeks just the odd egg. Is this usual, and how long does this go on for. should I show them the paxo packet and see if that does any good? They are fed on proper chicken food, and household scraps and are in a good size outdoor run.
Thanks,
Annie

[beejay1124]

agree with redhelen^
are they Arsenal supporters?

[beejay1124]

arsHEN wenger:-)

[Kleiber]

Seriously (shame about Arsenal, but at least West Ham won yesterday!!!), chickens go off lay for a number of reasons. They could be coming up to moulting - and before anyone says it's the wrong time of year, yes, it may well be, but 3 of mine have been moulting now for a couple of weeks and I've had no eggs at all from them. Annie, get them some Poultry tonic from wherever it is you get your feed for them (you can put it in with their water) or some poultry spice, which they love and can be mixed in with their food. This will help to keep them in good condition, whether they're moulting or not. Another thing that could be affecting them is the weather. If it's been cold & wet where you are, that could be the reason. They don't mind the cold, but they don't like it when it's damp. My girls are all pretty ancient now, apart from one, but even the old ones lay, even through the winter. Are yours getting plenty grit as well, because that can affect their laying. At a year old, they should still be laying well, at least every other day. Give them plenty greens and make sure their nest box is nice & cosy and clean for them. There's one other thing - they're not eating the eggs, are they? Let me know how you get on. Good luck, K xx

[tamborine]

Happens when the temp drops and lasts till its warmer. You could lock them up under heat lights & produce 'barn eggs'.

[annieigma]

Hi Kleiber,
thanks for the reply. one of the hens has a bare front at the moment, the other loks a bit ragged, so from what you say I think they are probably in moult.
They get loads of greens, get fed with the best chicken pellets and I throw some grit into the run. I will get some tonic. there has been one egg today, although both birds were in the nest box for an hour. they are happy birds, and dig holes and sit in them and make gurgling noises while they are washing, so I don't think they are stressed.
All the best,
annie.

[JonnyBoy12]

A farmer had trouble with his chickens off laying. Suddenly he had a brainwave. He put them all in his van and then drove off. When he came to a pull-in at the side of the road he pulled over and stopped. Almost at once the hens started laying eggs by the dozen. Why was this?


He had parked in a lay-by, of course!

[Kleiber]

G.R.O.A.N., Jonny!!!! Annie, I'm glad the info was useful. Yep, it sounds like they're in moult. A few weeks & they'll be fine again. My old girls, the ones that I said were moulting & hadn't laid for weeks, presented me with an egg yesterday afternoon! Bless 'em. Problem now is, I've got one gone broody (and those ones haven't even got a cockerel, so the eggs aren't fertile, but she sits in hope!!). I feel really mean when I take the eggs from under her. K xx

[Barmaid]

One of mine is in moult right now and my egg production has gone down slightly. Sounds as if that is your problem. May also be worth checking the hen house to see if you have red mites. That can send em "off lay" quite quickly.

[ummmm]

lol @ beejay

[annieigma]

Thanks for the answers,
It does appear that they may be in moult, one hen with a bare breast and the other looking a bit weathered. The are fed on the best food ( most expensive organic chicken layers pellets) and are eating very well. i had some battery hens a couple of years ago, and they didi not lay for a couple of weeks, then an egg nearly every day from each hen, so I would assume that the battery farmers get rid of the hens just as they are coming up to the first moult because they stop laying for a while. I have had two eggs in two days, so things are improving.
Annie.