Topic: Chickens not laying

[Doris_Pinks]

Hi all,

it was like someone turned a switch off, all 3 of my girls stopped laying on the same day last Saturday. Could this be the heat? No evidence of foxes or rats disturbing them, the only other thing that happened that day was the neighbour trimmed his hedge with noisy trimmers, but this has been done before,

any ideas?

Thanks

DP

[goodlife]

Heat could do it.. if they are not interested eating as much. Food is energy...increases body temperature and during hot spell they may try to keep that bit cooler and reduce their eating resulting drop in egg production.
My girls have done same..hardly any eggs for some time now.
Heat reduction in laying can become particurlarly evident if you have chicken breed that is 'big and blousy' like traditional breeds tends to be....loooots of feathers. Hybrid breeds are not so well dressed up and propably don't heat up quite same.
If your girls are otherwise in good health, they will resume their duties once the temperature ease up again. Today is very over cast here and much cooler for change...I'm already waiting to hear some eager noises from the pen.

[michelles]

Mine appear to have gone on strike to, although the ducks are still laying.  I hope the chickens start laying soon as have promised a local fete some cakes.  I thought it was due to the hot weather although some of mine are aged now bless them.

[grannyjanny]

One egg all week from our 6. Poor things, I've left the side door off  raised the roof. Two are broody so I keep booting them out.

[Melbourne12]

Partly the heat, no doubt, but also the egg-laying cycle is slowing down naturally.  Our 9 hens were laying around 7 a day a couple of months ago.  Now it's 4. Nothing to worry about.

[Doris_Pinks]

Thanks all,

They were laying, found a stash under a nice cool bush with 20 eggs!!!!

I too have raised the roof a bit to keep it cooler in there, I would rather not have to crawl under the bushes everyday to collect eggs, so the task is to tempt them back into the boxes 

Have also put loads more containers of water around for them, they are also partial to a bit of chilled watermelon at the moment!

Poor chooks, feather coats in this heat, I feel quite sorry for them!

DP