birds are on strike - what to do?

[brennant]

My BA, two BOs a white rock, BR and EE stopped laying two days ago. A few days ago, I slowly switched them to layer crumbles since all are laying now. I also stopped them from using the entire back yard as free range. Could this put them on strike?

I did notice a few diarrhea type poops, but all seem to be eating and drinking and acting normally.

I wonder if the changes I have made have stopped them from laying. Will they adjust to the new food/free range and be OK?

Many thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Kittymomma]

They might be on strike or you may need to have a real Easter egg hunt.

I'd look around the backyard realllllllly well.

 

[brennant]

I will look again... their "free roaming" lacks any real hiding space for them to sneak off to.

 

[bgelber]

I thought my hens wouldn't have a place to hide the eggs while free ranging. Low and behold one of my girls favorite place to lay is under my picnic table

...so go figure.

 

[brennant]

Well I have looked all over their yard, and the coop... no eggs. I went from 6 eggs from 6 birds down to 2 eggs, then 1, now nothing.

They seem to be eating and drinking fine. Behavior seems normal. Poop seems normal too. Are they just mad I clipped their wings and made their free range a bit smaller? (oh and finally switched them to flayer feed since all are laying... could that be it too?)

Hmph.

Can't always be easy I guess.

Anyone?

 

[mboreham1]

sometimes they take a break. The feed wouldnt stop them laying, mine were mad when i clipped their wings but didnt stop laying. I have done all of the same things with my little 6 bird flock as you have with yours, their break didnt coincide with either one of the wings clipping or making a dedicated run rather than the whole yard. if they are eating and drinking i wouldn't worry. As for your poop analysis, every 10th or so poop will look loose, its perfectly normal. (no i didnt count, i am plagiarizing someone else on here!)

How old are they? If they are around 1 year old, they might be starting to molt. Often when they molt they quit laying.

p.s my belgian d'uccle just quit for 6 weeks, no reason, no broodiness, no molt, no sickness, no nothing, just a break because she could, she is lucky she is cute and makes me laugh or i would have eaten her...... no i wouldnt, i just talk a big game!!

 

[brennant]

5 are about 8 months and 1 is about 20 mos old.