Chickens coming back into lay?

[Snadger]

I have a varied bunch of chooks, all are differing ages and breeds. This has meant that even in the depths of winter I was getting half a dozen eggs each day.
The egg rate has gradually climbed until today whence I got 18 eggs.

I've just set some eggs to hatch as well so hopefully this will give me younguns, along with middle aged and oldies.

As a matter of interest, my oldest chooks, about four years old, are turning into the most prolific layers.

I thought I had too many oldies and they would die off.......but they just keep coming back each spring stronger and stronger.
They have never had tap water as all their water comes direct from the sky and is collected in butts.
Maybe I should start drinking the same water as they seem to be prospering on it!

[Two_Sheds]

I was getting half a dozen eggs each day.
.. today whence I got 18 eggs.

That's really good (and a good job you're doing Atkins)

[cotton54321]

Thats great! My 5 year old bluebell has just stopped laying...bless her - have really had our money's worth there!!

[Glutton4...]

A few of mine have laid all winter - no idea why! Now several others are coming back into lay - including the egg-eater, so I only had two today, and about six empty shells. Unfortunately, that means I have to cull perfectly healthy Hens, which I really hate having to do!

[elizajay]

I have got one out of 6 laying, I think. The laying hen has been making nests in the ivy on top of the garden wall. A few weeks ago I was getting 5 different eggs out of 6 hens, so I was delighted as 2 are youngsters who hadn't laid before. Now only the one, OR are the others also hiding their eggs. I wandered around the garden yesterday looking in likely places, but could spot a cache of eggs. It's a mystery! The thing that puzzles me is that my reliable maran was laying and suddenly stopped and she has never laid in the wrong place....

[Snadger]

............................ Unfortunately, that means I have to cull perfectly healthy Hens, which I really hate having to do!

Why????????

[petal]

g4 - rubber eggs and mustard eggs will help. I know what you mean though - once one starts the others learn.

[RichmondHens]

Sometimes it's just not possible to break the habit, and in a large flock of birds (if you can be sure you have the culprit) it's more practical to cull. Hard when you have just a few birds and the culprit is your favourite though!

[Munch]

I have 8 hens and all winter they have gifted me with at least 2-3 eggs a day between them.

But it was about a week ago when I started to get 6-7 eggs and now I get 8 on the odd morning. Bless them!

[chris]

How many do you have snadger?

[petal]

saying that, one of these exbatts is an egg eater, although I reckon its cos they just keep on laying all over the place, some are getting crafty and hiding eggs in the straw bales though...As for the snotty purebreeds(we don't talk to those commoners...)they are laying loads - what a racket!

[Glutton4...]

Why????????

You wan 'em Snadge? Come get 'em. Mustard eggs don't work. Fake eggs are already in the nest-boxes to encourage the youngsters. This morning I have three eggs and six empty shells!!!!! And that's only because I grabbed the last egg as it came out the poor girl's bum!

[julesapple]

I have got one out of 6 laying, I think. The laying hen has been making nests in the ivy on top of the garden wall. A few weeks ago I was getting 5 different eggs out of 6 hens, so I was delighted as 2 are youngsters who hadn't laid before. Now only the one, OR are the others also hiding their eggs. I wandered around the garden yesterday looking in likely places, but could spot a cache of eggs. It's a mystery! The thing that puzzles me is that my reliable maran was laying and suddenly stopped and she has never laid in the wrong place....

Glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I too have searched the garden, but there are few places to hide in our garden, so I don't think it's that.

Jules

[nmayhew]

our 5 Light Sussex dropped out completely for about 2-3 weeks; now one or maybe 2 are back with an egg every other day (this has literally started this week).

i did notice one girl looking "poorly" when in the garden, hardly moving; she then laid 2 eggs (one soft shell but intact, one just a mush) there and then in the garden, and then was "full of beans".

she looks ok now (about a week later) - should i be worried bout here or the rest of them?

cheers

nick

[petal]

ok G4, watch for a couple of hours, its usually 1 or 2 hens doing this - grab em and stew em- see if that helps. This habit is infuriating!!!I had a cockerel used to do this- needless to say where he ended up!!!!