[Roxy]

From getting around 40 per day, we are down to a dozen .....usually swimming in eggs at this time of year.  All the hens look in lay too.  Could be laying away, but that many doing it??  Taking into account the broodies, I am still puzzled.

My neighbour called this afternoon to ask if we were getting many eggs.  She too has had a sudden reduction.  We did consider crows, taking them to feed their young in the nest, but even so, they would not take all that many surely???

[plumseverywhere]

we've had a great reduction aswell. I've put it down to the strange weather? yesterday when it was pouring down wiht rain all day I think we got about 3 eggs out of the 11 hens! today, bit of sunshine and I had 9.

[dixie]

Red mites?? Rats??

[little blue]

I was going to suggest the odd weather too.
(we've not had a reduction, but then our choocks are abit slow!!)

[Helencus]

I've got some moulting already maybe yours are starting?

[valr]

I have that problem too - 5 girls, one of them broody just now. No eggs for 2 days! One a day for a week before that ......
I was wondering if it was to do with the fact they seem to have gone off their layers pellets?

[doganjo]

I have that problem too - 5 girls, one of them broody just now. No eggs for 2 days! One a day for a week before that ......
I was wondering if it was to do with the fact they seem to have gone off their layers pellets?

Magpies!!!!

[whitby_sam]

Mine have had a fright recently, I've also changed their water supply, used to give them water from the water butts (rain water) but with the dry spell I had to use tap water and they've been drinking from the pond.

I put it down to the fox/badger problems.

I did keep them in a couple of hours longer yesterday as well as giving them their water from the water butts again and had twice as many eggs in the nest boxes. Maybe they're just laying elsewhere but I haven't heard much of the tell-tale clucking which gives it away that they're laying an egg... I'm also going to treat them to some wormer and spice laced porridge this morning, see if that helps!

[bevsmith]

Hi Roxy, i too would suggest the weather ours have dropped right off although they are confined to barracks because of the foxes at the mo,However never underestimate the crow,we have a crow family that actually go into the sheds and laying boxes and take them,i once left a dozen eggs in a saucepan outside and forgot to take them home,20 mins later i returned to find the bloody crow flying off with the last one, they are too very crafty and will sit in the trees watching and waiting for us to leave,one day i will get my revenge,

[Roxy]

oh, Bev, thats so annoying when the blooming crows (and magpies) take eggs.  Yesterday, in one of the coops, two eggs had been pecked.  I suspect that it may well be the birds, as there are nests in the big trees, and I can hear a lot of squawking. I bet they are listening for the cackle of the hens laying, then swooping down, pecking a hole so they can carry the eggs back to the nest and the babies .....an easy meal!!

I have noticed that the eggs laid in the barn are more plentiful, that may be because the hens go under the door, and its not an obvious route for the birds.

[bevsmith]

Well our bl**dy crows are so big they pick the eggs up whole and take them,they are as big as vultures,LOL. mind u on lovely free range eggs every day no wonder,

[bamford6]

could be pressure and thunder will nock them off for weeks

[fifixx]

Would jackdaws steal eggs? - we have about 10 hanging around all day - don't know how to get rid of them.

[doganjo]

Jackdaws, crows, magpies - all the same to me - thieving, murdering Bs

[fifixx]

I thought of getting a water pistol - would that get them to move on?  Anyone else got jackdaws bringing red mite and stealing eggs?!