Greetings:
I want to share a little experience I have had with my chicken ventures.
This started with my neighbors Leg horn that put in a change of address and would not stay home. So I was forced to go get her 6 hens for friends as I didn't need a adopted chicken with social separation anxiety issues. So home I came with 6 adult hens in there coop on a trailer... as luck would have it I slipped and fell and my good hand had to be splinted for 6 weeks. I might add the other arm had a visit from a stroke a few years back. So my poor hens had to live on the trailer under my carport till my hand and wrist healed. Try as I might I couldn't get a good bite on the cordless drill with my dentures to work on there permanent home.... With in a couple of days the old girls were coughing up eggs like clock work. So I slowly worked on building Coop-Da-Villa. A good friend helped me a lot and we got them settled into the permanent coop and yard... After 2 days egg production dropped to nothing... I thought new home, things willreturn to normal soon. Ha! Not in my life. 3 started molting and looked like they had turned into chicken zombies, my little frizzle silkie bantam went broody. Geeze she needed hormone replacement therapy. She went evil before my very eyes.. So I'm getting used to store bought eggs again. As fall grew upon us the days got shorter also. So I cured the broody hen's issues with fettucine noodles. ( Her favorite treat and yes I'm dumb enough to cook them for her) The three molting hens started to grow feathers and return from the land of chicken zombie's. Still no eggs. So I figured winter months and possibly being older they may just be pets now as the two younger hens were giving eggs. I so purchased 4 Red star pullets and thought these girls will give me my eggs and life will be fine... Then it dawned on me.. While the hens were under the carport the security light on the front of the carport kicked on at dusk and turned itself off at dawn. Oh crap, I's had my hens getting supplemental light and wasn't smart enough to recognize it. So I put a florescent light in the coop on a timer. I am proud to say the girls are gifting me with eggs again! I also gave them a big ole heavy bottom skillet with a broken handle for kitchen goodies and treats. Big enough they can all get to it and to heavy to turn over. Now when I take them treats I politely tell them if you don't give me eggs for the skillet they will fit nicely in the skillet! I'm sure the threat of frying them has scared them into producing eggs. Being over the broody, molting,and reduced light have nothing to do with egg output. Dumb ole chickens just needed to be bullied a little bit!
I want to share a little experience I have had with my chicken ventures.
This started with my neighbors Leg horn that put in a change of address and would not stay home. So I was forced to go get her 6 hens for friends as I didn't need a adopted chicken with social separation anxiety issues. So home I came with 6 adult hens in there coop on a trailer... as luck would have it I slipped and fell and my good hand had to be splinted for 6 weeks. I might add the other arm had a visit from a stroke a few years back. So my poor hens had to live on the trailer under my carport till my hand and wrist healed. Try as I might I couldn't get a good bite on the cordless drill with my dentures to work on there permanent home.... With in a couple of days the old girls were coughing up eggs like clock work. So I slowly worked on building Coop-Da-Villa. A good friend helped me a lot and we got them settled into the permanent coop and yard... After 2 days egg production dropped to nothing... I thought new home, things willreturn to normal soon. Ha! Not in my life. 3 started molting and looked like they had turned into chicken zombies, my little frizzle silkie bantam went broody. Geeze she needed hormone replacement therapy. She went evil before my very eyes.. So I'm getting used to store bought eggs again. As fall grew upon us the days got shorter also. So I cured the broody hen's issues with fettucine noodles. ( Her favorite treat and yes I'm dumb enough to cook them for her) The three molting hens started to grow feathers and return from the land of chicken zombie's. Still no eggs. So I figured winter months and possibly being older they may just be pets now as the two younger hens were giving eggs. I so purchased 4 Red star pullets and thought these girls will give me my eggs and life will be fine... Then it dawned on me.. While the hens were under the carport the security light on the front of the carport kicked on at dusk and turned itself off at dawn. Oh crap, I's had my hens getting supplemental light and wasn't smart enough to recognize it. So I put a florescent light in the coop on a timer. I am proud to say the girls are gifting me with eggs again! I also gave them a big ole heavy bottom skillet with a broken handle for kitchen goodies and treats. Big enough they can all get to it and to heavy to turn over. Now when I take them treats I politely tell them if you don't give me eggs for the skillet they will fit nicely in the skillet! I'm sure the threat of frying them has scared them into producing eggs. Being over the broody, molting,and reduced light have nothing to do with egg output. Dumb ole chickens just needed to be bullied a little bit!
