Do your hens lay less when they are being nosey?

[cackle]

The eggs laying had picked up and I was getting 3-5 a day. Today I gathered 2 around noon and then was in the yard helping build a place for the meaties. Well the layers stood at the fence and watched all afternoon and no more eggs have been laid. I even told them I needed one more to fill a carton of 18 for my husband to take on his trip tomorrow.

Can they actually not lay just because they are busy? Or was this just an off day?

 

[debilorrah]

Typically they will skip a day once in a while. We will get 4 eggs one day and then 2 the next and then 1 and then 3 - no pattern at all.