Chickens on strike??

[Lrosell31]

I was given 13 adult chickens last year and have always gotten 7-9 eggs a day. The last couple weeks I have only been getting between 4-5 eggs a day. I don’t know how old my chickens are. But I was wondering do chickens go on strike and take a break every once in a while if so how long do they take a break. Or is it time to give my chickens to someone for dinner and get some new ones. This is my first year having backyard birds so I don’t know what’s going on. They are eating the same food and haven’t had anything stressful happen.

 

[sylviethecochin]

How warm/cloudy is it in your area? Chickens need a certain amount of light to lay eggs, and they get rather stressed in hot weather.

 

[Lrosell31]

It has been high 80’s to low 90’s. They roam around my backyard during the day and get locked up in there playhouses at night to keep them safe from predators. It has been warmer than usual lately. Maybe I need to make more shade for them.

 

[sylviethecochin]

It has been high 80’s to low 90’s. They roam around my backyard during the day and get locked up in there playhouses at night to keep them safe from predators. It has been warmer than usual lately. Maybe I need to make more shade for them.

That would do it. I went from twenty-one to fourteen average over the past four weeks.

 

[Lrosell31]

That would do it. I went from twenty-one to fourteen average over the past four weeks.

. Any ideas on something cheap to make more shade. Monsoon season should be coming soon so that will help cool them off also. But in the mean time. I promised my husband that my bird hobby won’t become such an expensive hobby so I try and barter or get things used as much as possible.

 

[sylviethecochin]

. Any ideas on something cheap to make more shade. Monsoon season should be coming soon so that will help cool them off also. But in the mean time. I promised my husband that my bird hobby won’t become such an expensive hobby so I try and barter or get things used as much as possible.

Mine just scratch around under the porch. Chickens cool off mainly through their legs, so if you find a spot under a tree and let them dig around in it, they'll dig into the cooler parts of the dirt and sit in it.