Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: BarnBrian on November 11, 2009, 08:56
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My four ex-bats which are about two and a half years old started moulting three months ago and haven't layed any eggs since. Is this normal? Can I expect them to start laying again?
Brian
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I think if you look through the forum you'll find a general consensus that Yes egg production commonly tails off a little at this time of year due in part to the shorter days and the moulting.
Another thing possibly, if your ex batts are 2 and half years old, maybe they're (pardon the pun ) exhausted ? I gather its believed hens only have a maximum number of eggs to produce so possibly theyre 'spent' as it were ?
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I have a hen that is about 2 1/2 and hasn't layed since she started moulting about 3 months ago. She is almost fully feathered now and her comb is still pale although showing signs of reddening up again and she is a bit more lively now. I have been putting poultry spice in the food to help her along a bit.
I think at that age Ex batts are almost out of eggs so what with the moult, the shorter days and that taken into consideration I would be surprised if you got many more eggs.
You may find now that you will only get the occasional egg from now on.
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It's not just 'believed' that hens only have a certain amount of eggs in them BBTM! I've seen them! Once they run out of eggs, that's it, no more!
The tiny yolk sacs are on what looks like a string, then as each egg gets laid, the next ones start to fill with yolk and get bigger.
Like this!!!!