Are my hens exhausted or thinking of going broody.

[kvmommy]

My two girls just started laying a few weeks ago. They refuse to sleep in their coop and sleep outside. Butters started laying under the deck. We got those eggs out and then she stopped laying as far as we could tell. Then Munchies started laying in my children's playhouse and soon Butters started laying in there. The kids scared her once when she was laying and she stopped again and then started laying in the floor of the coop. So then for the past week or so, each girl has been laying in their designated spots but the past two days, after laying they stay in there. They usually come out fairly quickly after laying but the girls will stay in there for hours. They puff when I peek my head in to look at them, but they stay there. As soon as they hear me go to the shed to feed them they come running out and eat and then go off on their free ranging. I get the eggs and its fine. But...why would they both start doing that all of the sudden. Are they ok? They're not staying on it long enough for me to think they're broody so now I wonder if they're not getting enough nutrition and are exhausted. They don't hardly eat the pellets I got them at all. I switched from grow-out crumbles to laying pellets and they don't seem to like it. They'll eat a bit. But they also get scratch, tons of bugs and scraps from the kitchen. Oh and one laid a soft shelled egg the other day.

I grabbed it and it was still warm and felt all squishy. Could that also be indicative of a problem? Thanks guys!

 

[kvmommy]

Does anybody have an idea?

 

[Den in Penn]

They may not be eating the pellets because they a finding enough while free ranging. Or they just don't like it. One soft shell does not make a problem with new or just starting back up layers. If the soft shell persists they may need a calcium supplement. You could be t=right about the them taking in the proper nutrition. You could give them a vitamin boost in their water and see. Try cutting down on the scratch while they have good forage.

 

[kvmommy]

Thank you so much! Cutting back on scratch and going to get a supplement for their water!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Do you have oyster shell available for them? It helps keep their shells strong.

The one you think is no longer laying has probably just found a new hiding spot.