GAHHH!!!! HENS ON STRIKE! No demands given yet though...

When I got chickens a couple of years ago I knew I'd be one of those people who kept my old aging eggless hens as pets even after they stopped laying. But I did not expect this to start at age 2. To say I'm frustrated is an understatment. Here is what I know about my 3 hens on strike that seem to dispell most of the "why aren't they laying" threads.

1) The days aren't shorter because it's summer.

2) It's an open coop so I know they're getting plenty of daylight.

3) They get plenty of table scraps, good quality layer feed and they have access to the grass yard about 3x a week. (The rest of the time it's their grass-less dirt run)

4) They appear healthy, but I'm no vet. Their feathers aren't quite as shiny and full as before.... their combs are a *little* less red, but they're bright-eyed and happy. I checked the vent areas for cooties - nothing. I poked around their feathers for mites - nothing. They seem relatively normal hens. Granted it's hot as all get out here in Central Florida in the heat of summer, but they didn't act like overwhelmed debutantes last summer - why now?

5) They don't appear to be molting. No more loose feathers around than normal.

6) Upon close-up examination of their poo, it seems normal and chickeny. Nothing seems....shudder....alive in it and nothing seems runnier than usual.

7) I don't think snakes are eating the eggs because we have a really good apron around the coop so it'd have to be a really really skinny snake to squeeze thru the hardwire cloth....but I suppose it's possible???

8) They haven't posted any demands on the barn door, but why would they need electric blankets in summer in Florida anyway?????

So I'm not sure what to do. I have 3 hens who are laying a TOTAL of about 1-2 eggs a week...on a good week. The eggs look and taste just fine when I get them. They also never had a lull in egg-production over the winter months, which surprised me, so maybe my Florida chickens have their seasons mixed up. I'm at the point that I'm going to have to BUY eggs. Can you imagine? My kids want pancakes for breakfast and I have no eggs to make them with....

Suggestions? Ideas? Is there a professional chicken negotiator in the house???
The only thing I can think of - and this seems like a heckuva stretch - is that around April-May-ish, my stupid XL puppy broke the gate on the chicken run and got in and terrorized them. Two got away and one was terrorized and nibbled on for a bit before my husband rescued her. It was nothing a little blu-kote couldn't fix and they were back acting normally the next day (no bite wounds - just pulled out feathers). The situation was remedied and the puppy can't get them now. Oddly, that was about the time they all stopped laying. We're talking 3 months ago. Isn't that long enough to get over a stressful event? Maybe I should consider counseling

I suppose at the heart of it all is an underlying fear that they could be sick and I am missing something. I guess I'm hoping to hear that such a long strike is normal and that you think they'll snap out of it soon..... I keep assuming they will but the weeks are turning into months.

 

Well maybe it's just too darned hot. Hmph.

They can't lay elsewhere because they're in a really controlled area and I've searched it like a lunatic...

Sigh.

Lesson in patience #192137 - Hens on strike in a hot Florida summer.

 

Nah - I wish it were that simple. The bottom of my coop is "aproned" in with the hardwire cloth to keep out predators so there aren't any nooks or crannies for my birds to hide eggs....

I suppose misery loves company - so although I feel bad for those of you in my boat - I feel better knowing I'm not alone.

I'M EGGLESS!!!!!!!!!!! OH THE HUMANITY!