[green igloo]

Hi
We have 2 Amber links which started laying a week after we bought then and 2 Black Rocks which have laid just one egg.  After a week, no eggs at all - we have not altered their feed or conditions.  Why are they are on srike?  We are new to chicken keeping so would welcome some advice,

[Vember]

Hi green igloo, welcome

There could be many reasons why your birds have stopped laying, here's some of the things I can think of my brain isn't that good    

I'm sure some other people will give you some ideas

 *Are they free range could they be laying somewhere else ?
 *Have they got any creepy crawlies hanging around on their skin especially near the bottom?  - Mites can cause a hen to stop laying, the worst thing about mites is there are no other obvious symptoms
  *Could they be broody ? - Are they sitting in the nest box as if going to lay but not doing, then just kind of sitting there all day. Making themselfs look big and growling at you if you go near?? (that's broody)


Really Sorry but thats my brain drained

[poultrygeist]

Only other thing I can think of is if there are red mite in the coop?

What feed are you using ?


Rob  

[PekinHeaven]

It's probably just stress of moving. They will start laying again once they feel settled in.

[green igloo]

Hi to everyone who has responded to our question.    We have checked for mites - none appear to be present.

Rob, we have been feeding the girls layer pellets with treats in the afternoon. One suggestion was to only feed layer pellets with no treats at all for a week or two then go back to pellets with just one type of treat, and another suggestion was to feed a mix of corn and layer pellets.  A friend who has kept chickens for a number of years feeds them all sorts of scraps as well as pellets and has not suffered any deterioration in laying!

Seems like we may have to be patient!!

[too many girls]

after half my girls were taken by a fox i kept the rest under house arrest, realising the hen house was too small to keep them in long term, i moved them to a stable where they stayed for a few weeks, when i eventually got up the courage to let them out again and move them back to the hen house, they went off lay for about 4 days, we're now back up to full production, 18 eggs yesterday and 24 today, i think you need to be patient.

[green igloo]

Well, it looks as if our patience might have paid off as one of the Black Rocks laid an egg today!  Maybe the others will follow her lead in the next few days.

We are rescuing two ex-battery hens on Sunday so it will be interesting to see how all the girls get on.