I have a mature flock of 4 hens and 1 roo. They are 1 yr and a few months old. We added three Delaware chicks to the flock over July 4th, 2011 weekend ( a few months ago). The integration has gone very well. None seem particularly stressed or picked on. One of my original hens, a SS had her first molt recently, approx. 5 wks ago, but is filling out again nicely. We are recovering from record high temperatures. It as between 105 to 112 for several days and at least 100 or more for many weeks. It has finally come down to the 90s, a relief. I only have 1 hen that is laying about every other day. She's a Buff Orpington. I don't know what to chalk the dismal egg production up to. Heat, molting, new pullets? What's your best guess?
*Sidenote: I was concerned about the flock eating their own eggs because I dropped one recently and also, one of the Sussex did an odd thing recently. She ran up to me, seemingly to greet me, squatted and laid an egg at my feet. When the other hens saw they descended upon it and gobbled it up. I have watched the nestboxes like a hawk. They are well padded with straw. I have supplemented ther diet with mild and placed phoney-baloney eggs in the nests. I have seen the rooster in the nestbox and am suspicious of him. They have two nests to use and have always used them until these past several weeks.
*Sidenote: I was concerned about the flock eating their own eggs because I dropped one recently and also, one of the Sussex did an odd thing recently. She ran up to me, seemingly to greet me, squatted and laid an egg at my feet. When the other hens saw they descended upon it and gobbled it up. I have watched the nestboxes like a hawk. They are well padded with straw. I have supplemented ther diet with mild and placed phoney-baloney eggs in the nests. I have seen the rooster in the nestbox and am suspicious of him. They have two nests to use and have always used them until these past several weeks.
