[wildy78]

HELP!!!! please i am going out of my mind.

My 11 hens have almost virtually stopped laying.  I used to get an average of 5-6 every day off 7 birds i am now lucky if i get one.  There does not appear to be any big signs of moulting, the hen house is clear of red mite, they are regularly frontlined and have been recently checked for lice - none present, they were wormed with flubenvet 4 weeks ago, they have life guard in their water, none are lethargic or hunched although a couple look a bit ragged on their feathers (nothing notable) they all free range in a 20 x 15m run every day.  Anything i can do i think i have to help them live a stress free life. 

I introduced 6 new hens 4 weeks ago after 2 weeks of seperation following all being wormed (they were introduced through a fence for 2 weeks prior to this.  Now i dont expect these to be laying for a few weeks following their move ( all are about 22 weeks now)

They are all different breeds sussex, speckled, dorking, welsummer, marans the new ones are sussex, white star, plymouth rock, fenton blue and fenton rose.

Can anyone suggest what may be causing this, is it just natural? am i worrying unduly?  Have i made things too comfortable for them.   

To top it all i have had about 3 or 4 friends/family ask me for a regular supply of eggs for them!  I think this last bit is known as SODS LAW.

[Casey76]

Hi wildy,

I would probably say it is the introduction of the new ones that has put everyone else off.  Chickens are funny things, and anything odd or new can put them off lay.

[wildy78]

Hi wildy,

I would probably say it is the introduction of the new ones that has put everyone else off.  Chickens are funny things, and anything odd or new can put them off lay.

thought as much but can it really affect them for so long?

[joyfull]

how old are the hens that have stopped laying? Mine have gone down from 14 a day to just 4 

[daisy1990]

probably a combination of the new hens and the fact that there is poor light (despite it allegedly still being summer!)  Just comfort yourself with the fact that all hens are born with the total number of eggs they will lay predetermined, so any you dont get now you will get later!
As others have said, hens really are fickle creatures and do what they want despite our best efforts (one of mine is almost permananeltly broody, another moults constantly, another lays soft shells from time to time and another has prolapses occassionally- need I say more!!)

[ANHBUC]

Any chance they have been spooked by a fox or other predator?

[henamoured]

What are they fed? Good quality pellets? Not too many treats? Do they have oyster shell/grit available?
Mine went through a slowdown but have come back to normal this week.... there's no fathoming it sometimes.

[wildy78]

thanks all

henamoured - they are fed good but not the most expensive pellets, a bit of corn on an afternoon to get them back into the fox proof pen, oyster shell/grit is available.  Hoping mine are just slowing down a bit.

ANHBUC - it is a possibility that a fox or other predator could have spooked them


Thanks again