;^) YEAH!!! Chickens laying again!!!

[ioujc]

As I probably have noted previously, my flock of 60 or so birds has been devastated this year by a combination of factors ranging from the person who continues to "annoy" me and cause havoc on my mini farm, and a dog down the road. I only have 3 chickens left. 2 older hens>>>about 2 years and 6 months and one young hen, about 8 months old.

For months, my older hens had stopped laying, but apparently they are now!! Today I have had 9 eggs in the past 3 days! At first, just the young one was laying, but now the other 2 are also!! YEA!!!

Don't know why they stopped laying>>>>too much havoc and chaos around here, or they were scared to death of the dog, or if they were molting>>>but never really saw any feather drop???

Anyway, I am REALLY glad they are laying again!!

 

[summerthyme]

It sounds like they probably went into a molt (either naturally or because of stress) and are "slow molters" Some birds seem like they drop every feather at once... they look awful, but regrow feathers quickly and start laying again in 6-8 weeks.

Others drop one flight feather at a time... since they all must be replaced before she starts laying again.

But the days are starting to lengthen, too, and that tends to stimulate laying even in the most reluctant hens.

Summerthyme

 

[Kathy in WV]

Coldest week here in a while but got 2 eggs yesterday finally! I think I have 12 hens now and this is the first time they've all totally stopped laying. Usually one or two will brave their way through winter weather.

 

[Ku Commando]

A-yup......'bout time.....days're getting longer

Always nice to have fresh eggs up on the counter !

 

[West]

Ours basically stopped laying too, besides one or two a week. But we have one friendly hen that has been laying at least one egg every day almost, on the front porch above the dog house in my camo netting I've got stored there.

 

[Freeholder]

I'm hoping to see eggs soon from my six Bantam hens. They are six months old now. Curious to see how well they will lay compared to their full-size brethren (or sistern, lol!).

Kathleen

 

[West]

I'm hoping to see eggs soon from my six Bantam hens. They are six months old now. Curious to see how well they will lay compared to their full-size brethren (or sistern, lol!).

Kathleen

I've been pleasantly surprised by the eggs our 1 full breed, plus(mix) Bantums produce during the laying year. The yolks are just as big as their larger hen roommates, just less whites, smaller eggs.

Our bantums do however go broody every year and since we free range many just disappear. But like the bantams we do have, the one full breed just showed up, and the many cross breeds seem to stay around.

Vary interesting birds. Prolific brooders.

 

[Freeholder]

I've been pleasantly surprised by the eggs our 1 full breed, plus(mix) Bantums produce during the laying year. The yolks are just as big as their larger hen roommates, just less whites, smaller eggs.

Our bantums do however go broody every year and since we free range many just disappear. But like the bantams we do have, the one full breed just showed up, and the many cross breeds seem to stay around.

Vary interesting birds. Prolific brooders.

I've heard that about the bantam eggs, that the yolks are full-sized, just have less white. That was actually one reason why I got them, because we both have auto-immune conditions, and egg whites are problematic for us. I have three Buff Orpingtons and 3 RIR's (the nice dark kind); hoping they will be good layers.

Kathleen