End of lay?

[janjb]

Help - new to forum,
Have 4 warrens which laid from day 1 here non-stop for 15 months, then one started laying soft-shelled eggs, followed by all of them doing it and I now have no eggs at all & am having to buy them. No eggs now for 2 1/2 months does anyone know if they are likely to start laying again? OH making noises about soup & coq au vin.

[Sue]

janjb
I'm new to keeping hens, but I thought I'd read they went on laying much longer than that.
The only observation I can add is regarding grit. I've always given them grit in a small pot attached to the pen wire, but I must admit it wasn't every kept topped up to the brim. I was having a soft egg problem with one of my hens, Enid laying in the run, often broken etc.
At the time I didn't connect the two things, but decided to try giving them crushed egg shells, a tip I'd seen on a poultry forum. This topped up the pot and next day I noticed it had been heavily raided. Since then I've kept the pot topped right up and finger's crossed Enid's last eggs have been absolutely fine and laid in the nest box. It might not be connected, I don't know, but Enid has rather an overbite and now I think the poor thing might have had trouble getting at the grit.
I hope other more experienced grapes can come up with some suggestions before more drastic action is taken!
Sue

[Sue]

Janjb
And sorry forgot to say, Welcome to the forum!
best wishes
Sue

[Chilcoj]

I've found a good way of getting grit/oyster shell into my chooks.

I mix it with some sand/soil and put it in their sand box whilst putting some mealworm under the sand. This means that they eat the grit at the same time as they are digging out the mealworms.

They go mad for it!

[janjb]

Thanks to both, I'll have a go at both tips, although they do already have oyster shell with their pm grain & I've tried to yoghurt & muesli tip I have seen elsewhere - perhaps they just need a long rest after over laying to start with?

[TPeers]

They could be moulting. Hens go through an anual moult starting in their second year. Are they looking bald? It is, I understand, not unlikly for them to stop laying during this period as growing feathers is hard work.

Try giving a few extra treats for a week or so and some poultry spice or similar, hopefully they will start to lay again when the weather brightens a bit.

Another thought - you have checked for red mite and so on? I read something, I think in Practical Poultry, that a bad case could stop laying. Might be time for a good spring clean?

Best of luck, do let us know how it goes

Terry

[janjb]

Thanks Terry
On thinking about it i underestimated the length of time without eggs - They all lost feathers back in March, no bald patches tho'. No signs of mites but I will give henhouse a precautionary spray when (if) it stops raining!

And thanks Sue for your welcome
Jan

[dales]

as I understand it I think they should give you a regular supply for 2 years then slowly start to peater out. (which is when you go and start rattling the paxo packets at them to encourage them to keep going ;-) ) Stress can affect there laying as well, has anything changed at all, are you sure mr fox hasnt been round worring them at night or anything!?

[terrier]

Hi Janjb, welcome to the Vine. We had a chook a few years ago that would quite often lay soft eggs and nothing we did seemed to cure the problem although she seemed fit and well and lived to a good age. Our chooks lay well during the Summer and tend to tail off in the cold weather and then back on lay when the weather warms up again. If your chooks have laid solidly for 15 months then I think they probably are just having a well earned rest, although it's unusual to go off lay in the summer. I think a moult, as TP says is a more likely cause. One good way to stop chooks laying is any sort of stress as dales says. If a chook has a sudden trauma, then it can go off lay for weeks.

[Paulottie]

Just a thought from a novice- but aren't layers pellets a balance with grit? I put a bit of of extra oyster shell in with it for good measure. I find they will tend to eat it only when they don't have too many treats. Bit like the kids not eating dinner if they have too many biscuits. I'm told limestone grit is an alternative.

I seem to have the superstition that eggshell would encourage them to break their eggs or perpetuate disease. probably mad.

I wish that I had more experience to offer you. It does seem odd that they have all stopped, so logically, it might possibly be a general moult or low level disease.

[daisychook]

My two layers have gone into moult and have stopped laying about 2 weeks ago. i think it is normal from what I read, not sure how long it lasts, am trying desparately not to bring myself to buy eggs (it all seems so wrong somehow!!), but may do this week.

Maybe will take one out and show them... 'this is what you are supposed to do you daft birds!!!'

[yoanbob]

lol, if you pick your birds up and stroke the feathers back so you can see the skin you should be able to see any evidence of mites, you should dust the house periodically anyway.
15 months of constant laying is hard going, didnt they have a 2 or 3 month break over winter? if not they are proberbly just catching up on rest, at the start of the season and the end you can get jelly eggs as the normal course of things.
our warrens used to stop for 2 months a year, then again for another week when they moulted.
just keep them clean and well fed and nature will soon resume your egg supply

[janjb]

Thank you all for encouragement.
I have given henhouse a good spray of decimite and also given the chickens a good delousing - thought I had done them quite well recently but one had a bad infestation - as bad as kids in primary school - I took the fine tooth comb to myself afterwards! I'm checking and powdering her every couple of days for a while to make sure I've got them all.
Hadn't thought of the effect of foxes, a vixen and 3 cubs set up in a den briefly 15 yards away from them about 8 weeks ago but didn't appear to get in the garden or bother them at all. She moved away on her own before the local farmer's posse set off after her.
Good news is one has started laying again so there is hope for all!
Thanks again
Jan

[TPeers]

Fantastic! Glad it is sorting its self out for you.

Terry

[janjb]

Hi, thank you all for words of wisdom and encouragement.
I have now decimited the hen house and given chooks another covering of louse powder. I can't have done them well enough last time as one had a good count of them - worse than school kids - I took the fine toothed comb to myself after! Will carry on checking and powdering them every couple of days for a while until I'm sure that they've all gone. Am using barrier powder but would welcome suggestions if anyone knows something better.
Did have foxes (vixen & cubs) nearby a few weeks ago, but I don't think they came in the garden.
Good news however, one chook has restarted laying (3 eggs so far) so hope for all the rest.
Janjb