First they were laying 5-9 a day and now its down to ONE?

[Pepperwolfe]

I'm a newbie here and even after living on a farm as a kid I'm still at times confused.
Mom has 15 Ameraucanas that started laying eggs about a month or two ago. they're less than a year old and since we went from a few old hens and an old rooster, I went ahead and expanded the chicken run to include a 12'x 23' foot with a roof over for shade. I figured they would slow down laying eggs with expansion going on next to them but its been a week since the new addition was done and today Mom brought in one little egg. We know it wasn't from the Ameraucanas either. This one was white. So are they still stressed? or did I spoil them too much or what?

Thanks.

 

[Gazinga]

first of all.....

you wil find great people here!

You say they are less than a year old? If they are around 8 months, maybe it their mini-molt slowing them down. There are alot of details that could slow em down. You have any more details to share?

 

[Pepperwolfe]

We got them through the mail the first week of June at a day old. So that makes them about 8-9 months old. I haven't thought of them molting. I was worried that with the chicken run expansion or maybe something was bothering them could do it. We have a lab that likes to look at them from outside the fence and we have problems with coyotes too. Since they're Mom's chickens

I'll have to check with her in the morning about the molting. If it is their mini-molt, how long will that last?

Thanks. This is a great website. I'm finding out things I didn't know even when I lived on the farm as a kid or forgot.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

That's quite a drop in productivity. I think I would look for one of the following things: See if they are hiding their eggs somewhere else. Look for signs that you have a snake or other preditor snatching eggs. Watch for signs of egg eating by the hens. I rarely have more than one bird molting at the same time even those with the same hatch dates seem to be staggered. But you would notice a lot of feather loss if that is what is happening. For that many birds it would look like a feather pillow exploded.
I'd plan on spending a morning close to the coop so you can hear what is going on and see if anyone is getting in and out of the boxes at all or making a lot of noise in a different location. Good luck figuring this all out and of course, welcome to BYC!

 

[Pepperwolfe]

Latest update.
Mom told me she has been finding feathers laying around the run. So maybe it is the mini-molt.
She also is wondering if she could be over feeding them. They get corn, laying mash, and table scraps. The corn is usually left laying around the run and the pellets are still in the house.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

It could be age related, stress related, envronmentally related, health related, feed related, or weather related.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:

from Kansas and

!!!

Maybe you are giving treats too often. Corn and tablescraps are considered treats. Mine gets treats 1-2 times a week. Not sure if that would slow down production though. I hope you find out the mystery. Give us an update and let is know what changes you are doing. Good luck

 

[Pepperwolfe]

I was outside yesterday and walked around the inside of the run to see if any eggs or parts of egg may be laying around but didn't see anything. Just a bunch of chickens trying to pester me. Mom really has them spoiled.
My uncle is coming for a visit today to help out around the house so I'll probably be in and outside for most of the day. I'll keep an eye out for this mystery we seem to have.

 

[AlexandrainMA]

Dear Chicken Folks-

I am still a newbie chicken owner, and very new to this list. I have a red star that just recently has started to look as if she took a spin in the dryer. Her "saddle" is looking threadbare, she has developed a small patch on her breast, and just in general she is losing feathers left and right.

She was a spring chicken in 2008, and is laying very well. She is also the favourite of the five hens in my flock as far as the rooster is concerned. I thought perhaps it was his...um...rough romantic habits that were causing the feather loss, but now I wonder if she is molting.

Please, what is the difference between a molt and a mini-molt? I was thinking maybe she needed a protective order slapped against that rooster, Three Bucks. That's what we paid for him. (Blush...) I admit it, I did pay for a rooster. I lost Yankee points for that, I know.

Alexandra in MA

 

[Pepperwolfe]

All righty then... I went out this morning to check up on them. Took a few pics of the little brats. They were fine. This evening I walked out fed them and watered them.
I was even prepared to give them the ole' pep talk "Start plopping or I'm gonna start dropping." Empty threat but don't tell them that.
4 eggs today. all green from the amers but the old hen didn't do anything. She's the lone one laying the white egg. I just think they stopped laying for a bit for some unknown chicken reason.
I was going to do some more work on fixing up the coop and what nots but I think I'll leave off for a while until they figure out what they want to do.
I have have one rooster among all of them so I don't think he'll try too much. Heck, come to think of it he's the only guy on the whole property. It's me, my 10yr old daughter, my Mom, even the cat and the dog are female so he's seriously outnumbered.