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Author Topic: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??  (Read 3871 times)

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« on: December 11, 2018, 05:34:18 pm »
hello, I have 20 free range chickens, I sell their eggs at the gate, they are young and healthy looking however on Sunday i received no eggs what so ever, they have a light to make the days longer so winter can't be to blame. I usually get near 20 eggs every day. today I have received one egg and have been keeping a close eye to see that nothing is taking them. I hope it isn't a disease but i can't find much about it. last Saturday i chicken looked ill, i took in and treated it for crop bound the next day however i found it dead, it was very light so it might have died from starvation, i don't think it has any link to the eggs.
please help me
tristan
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2018, 07:00:26 pm »
I'm pretty sure you'll just find this is seasonal. If you're going to use artificial light to extend the season, I believe it has to be quite bright. Is yours bright enough, I wonder?
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2018, 07:34:29 pm »
300w led flood light works , but they deserve a rest . Light redeployed.

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2018, 08:18:31 pm »
thanks for your reply!
yes its just alien to me because i have never had them all pause for a break at the same time and for so long.
They have been laying vigorously throughout winter and do deserve a break but i wonder recently the light has been turning off whilst its still dark could this be the reason? i will have to try and change the settings.
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2018, 08:22:43 pm »
also forgot to mention these are lowland brown hybrids are usually lay very very well making it more unusual
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
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Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2018, 10:51:21 pm »
Unusual for them all to stop laying at once suddenly.  Check for rats and other vermin, and other birds
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

DavidandCollette

  • Joined Dec 2012
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2018, 07:01:59 am »
Also lol for signs of disturbance. Has Mr. Fox been round having a look?

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2018, 07:19:58 am »
When our chickens suddenly stopped laying we fitted padlocks to the nest box and access doors- they suddenly started again. Pretty sure I know which neighbour was responsible.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2018, 11:37:27 am »

Is this their second winter for laying, so they are how old? If they are all the same age, they may not lay through the winter anymore, even with a light on. Light as said above also needs to be quite bright and on until at least around 10pm, we also put it on in the morning from 7am until they come outside after 8am (I am in Scotland, so dark after 4pm and not light until after 8am).

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2018, 05:02:13 pm »
pretty sure that it isn't the light i have done it this way for years and my brothers and they have never had them stop for this amount of time.The chickens aren't very old i got half of them beginning of this year so they might have been through a winter but wouldn't have been laying the rest, i received back in summer so it can't be age. not sure about people taking, them can't be! the chicken shed is near the house my mum is her all day i am at school. could be rats and vermin i will set up a Go-Pro to watch tomorrow. Also there was no eggs today being the forth day.
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2018, 05:37:02 pm »
well it could be trauma  last weekend  there was a serious gale and this is when they stopped laying.
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

abc123

  • Joined Oct 2018
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2018, 01:56:48 pm »
Hello Tristan, :wave:
There is a disease in these sorts of breeds called EDS (Egg Drop Syndrome), although I would be surprised if it affected 20 chickens all at once, even though it is viral. Do you know if they were vaccinated as chicks against this if you didn't raise them yourself or bought them at POL.
I had one of these birds who never laid a single egg about a year and a half ago. I had bought her as a chick and she had not been vaccined against this. she was constantly bullied by the others, and in the end I couldn't afford to keep her. I took her back to where I bought her from and they gave me a chick for free as a refund along with a couple of others.  ;)

Check for mite infestations as well because the stress of this can stop laying. Its definitely not the age of the birds as you said, and the breed normally continues laying through the winter. Do check for sure the eggs are not being stolen as Chris says. Its not uncommon unfortunately >:(

There is a whole host of reasons why they could have stopped laying. Bad weather, frights as you've said. I would think the most likely reason at this time of year would an infestation of worms, or some other health problem. Are you fairly strict on the biosecurity etc, especially at this time of year with extra mud and health risks. How often do you clean them out and what sort of litter system do yo use e.g. deep litter, and the bedding type.

If they are definitely completely healthy, then its probably just natural. They deserve a break and I wouldn't worry too much. If they haven't started laying again by the time it warms up again in spring I would definitely be worried though given the breed and time of year. :thumbsup:
 

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
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    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
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Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2018, 04:16:43 pm »
Hi ABC23, Tristan seemed to imply they all stopped at once.  This isn't likely to be seasonal, nor a disease, nor lack of vitamins - much more likely that suddenly something has found the eggs and is taking them away. 

When we removed the insulation in the loft of the garage I use for my poultry we found absolutely loads of eggshells as well as rat droppings.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

abc123

  • Joined Oct 2018
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2018, 04:40:07 pm »
Agreed, but surely if its some animal taking 20 or so eggs everyday, that's 20 times more likely that Tristan would see something taking them during the day

It would have to be something small that couldn't carry more than one at a time because otherwise if it was a large animal like a fox or badger it would most likely attack the hens as well??  :-\



DavidandCollette

  • Joined Dec 2012
Re: CHICKENS NOT LAYING??
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2018, 05:22:14 pm »
well it could be trauma  last weekend  there was a serious gale and this is when they stopped laying.
Probably a combination of the high wind and time of year

 

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