Off laying

[heebiejeebie]

My girls seem to be having a break from laying eggs. It has been a few weeks since we had proper eggs from them, and the quantity did gradually decrease.

One is laying a soft-shelled egg nearly every day, which gets eaten, but there's no sign of any other eggs. They don't look like they're moulting and seem lively & healthy.

Is this normal?

[MaureenHall]

My lot went through that phase too, and I'm still getting at least 1 "squashy" each day. I didn't think they were moulting, but who can tell with ex-batts anyway, they've hardly got any feathers to lose! Anyway, I just boosted their calcium intake with finely crushed eggshells mixed in with a dish of layers pellets mixed to a mush with hot water. They've got plenty of grit available but don't seem to use it much. They've also been having salads and fruit kindly donated by a neighbour. Egg production has improved a bit but the eggs are a little bit smaller than they used to be. I'd rather have quality than quantity though

[kirsty b]

I noticed a decrese in eggs from mine, but when I checked found they have got lice in their feathers. Have treated them and the houses and nest boxes, but I think they have been a bit stressed out by me powdering/checking them and are still not laying so much cos they are sulking. From amount of eggs laid I think 6-7 out of the 17 are affected. (I have a couple who have never laid)
Still happily pecking and scratching with no drops in appetite. A couple have lost feathers, so I reckon they are busy growing them back instead of laying.

[Polly Fouracre]

My nine year old grandson,bless him, cleaned out my hens a couple of weeks ago. I discovered,too late that this involved letting them out into the garden,copious ammounts of water in their house and a gallant attempt to round them back up into the pen!! They have just started laying again!
It doesn't take much to put hens off lay for a while,a fox around or even a strange cat can put them off lay, time and a calm attitude will see them right.

[heebiejeebie]

The lack of eggs did coincide with an increse in free-ranging (I think) and there has been a fox around - I've heard it yipping at night. I've cut short their out'n'about time in case they were eating stuff they shouldn't (echinacea, petunia, campanula... grr!) and their food has now gone from plain layers' pellets back to a mix of pellets, honey, poultry spice and eggshell like they got when they first arrived.

I have of course reassured the girls that they are here for their retirement and will not be made into pies if they go off-laying!