[Cluckleberry]

Hi there!
I'm a forum newbie and also new(ish) to keeping chooks, so please be patient with my ignorance!

I have 5 bantam hens, given to me by a friend last summer who re-located to a new house that was not chook friendly.

The hens (Sage, Onion, Parsley, Thyme & Paxo) are a couple of years old and I have been told they are Welsummer Bantams.

They have a nice fenced in run (I gave up part of my veg garden) and a proper hen-house.  

I feed them on layers pellets, mixed corn with grit and greenstuff from the kitchen and garden. From time to time I treat them with tinned sweetcorn.

At first we had two eggs a day, sometimes three. Then in the autumn it went to one a day. However, since November we have had no eggs.
I have heard that chooks go off lay during the winter, but we have had nothing for over three months.

The girls look in good health and are active.

Am I worrying too much and do you think they will start again? I do hope so, because my Yorkshire Puddings are just not the same!!! :cry:

Any advice is most welcome!

Thanks!

[Ruth Cross]

Not a chook keeper myself but I'm sure that until the temp and daylight hours increase your girls won't lay. Have a quick search on previous threads on here, I'm sure you'll find something

[slowef]

You could cut down on the corn maybe, too much food can put them off lay and don't give them tinned sweetcorn its got too much salt in it.

I am sure they will be fine soon
xx

[Jellyhead]

When Spring has sprung and the grass is riz you'll have lots of eggses-is :shock:      

[mdueal]

Probably just waiting for better weather - I love their names btw! May steal the idea for our allotment chickens who are still yet to be named despite having had them for 4 months!

[MICK C]

Hi Chucleberry

Iam having the same problem. They are about 18 mths old Brown Leg horn x Silver Duck wing. They were tipping eggs out in last summer but not had an egg since back-end. They are well fed (like every thing at our house)! cracking birds. I think we will just have to be patient.

Cheers
Mick

[Lost in France]

Well I'm getting so many eggs that I don't know what to do with them! My friends hide when they see me in case I'm bringing eggs...only joking, they love them!

Right here goes...to get your hens to lay you should follow this regime:

1. Get up extra early, don't miss any daylight...open your popholes!
2  Break each hen a nice black grape and hand feed to each!
3. When ever you get an egg, make sure you thank the girls, regardless  
of who's laid it...they'll all try then as they like to be appreciated!
4.  Let them put themselves to bed as late as they want...but be sure to shut them in ..when THEY decide it's bedtime!
5. Love them lots...talk to them and as many grapes as you can afford...grapes are certainly NOT for humans once you have hens!

Follow this regime and I bet you'll soon be giving your eggs away as well!

Judi

[Aunt Sally]

Great advice Judi.

I too have forgotten what grapes taste like  

[spizanne]

hello, my chooks are also laying non stop but they are warrens and apparently they lay everyday all year round, the only time they stopped was when I first got Bruno, the cockerel and it was only Henrietta who stopped laying for 2 weeks cos she was the only one in the run with him.
My lot love salad stuff, especially cherry toms. As everyone else says I'm sure yours will start again with the better weather and longer days. In the meantime chin up, shop eggs aren't really that bad lol

[Cluckleberry]

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

I'll follow all your tips and look forward to those sweet little bantie eggs again.  

[Fat Hen]

Well I'm getting so many eggs that I don't know what to do with them! My friends hide when they see me in case I'm bringing eggs...only joking, they love them!

Right here goes...to get your hens to lay you should follow this regime:

1. Get up extra early, don't miss any daylight...open your popholes!
2  Break each hen a nice black grape and hand feed to each!
3. When ever you get an egg, make sure you thank the girls, regardless  
of who's laid it...they'll all try then as they like to be appreciated!
4.  Let them put themselves to bed as late as they want...but be sure to shut them in ..when THEY decide it's bedtime!
5. Love them lots...talk to them and as many grapes as you can afford...grapes are certainly NOT for humans once you have hens!

Follow this regime and I bet you'll soon be giving your eggs away as well!

Judi

Werks for me.    

[Jellyhead]

And me

[Lost in France]

Actually, on reflection, if I was treated as well as my girls...I think I could lay a few eggs myself!!