How do I get 'em laying again?

[JudyMcKinn]

I was getting about a dozen, maybe more, eggs each day from my 20 standard size mixed chickens. Then we had a miserable, humid heat wave, with 100 and over temps for a couple weeks. My hens dropped off to 5 or 6 eggs a day. anything I can feed them, or do, to get them back on track?
I made sure they had fresh, cool water a couple times a day (they always had water, but I mean I changed it a couple times a day) and they always have egg pellets. Then I tossed in any watermelon, cantelope rinds and also any damaged tomatoes we had. Tossed in BOSS a time or 2 a week, and also toss in some scratch once or twice a week. any ideas? Thanks.

 

[justusnak]

Judy......this heat is just untollerable!! My RIR/mutts were giving me about 10 eggs a day, untill the heat came....now...between 3 and 5 a day. There is just not much we can do, they are hot. I just today lost a hen to the heat. I give them electrolytes in thier water....they have fans blowing 24/7....they get cold watermelon, cantelope, cucumber,and tomato.....in the evenings. They eat layer pellets as well. THey all have fresh cool puddles from the hose...Its just TOO HOT!! Praying for a break in this weather, so we can get " back to business" LOL
Oh, and you might want to cut out ALL scratch grains....no corn at all, untill the heat breaks. Its a "hot food" and will make thier body temps go up.
Keep em cool...best ya can, and they will start laying again soon.

 

[jimnjay]

Judy, many of us in the southeast and other hot spots are seeing the same thing. Some are seeing soft shelled eggs as well. It seems that is a sign of heat prostration.

I guess we need to be thankful to have any eggs at all and try to keep them as comfortable as possible. It is pretty hard work for me these days, in the high 90's and dragging the hose all around spraying the roof and sides of the buildings is hot work at 4 or 5 pm. I am looking forward to cooler days as I am sure the poor chickens are too.

 

[justusnak]

Well, the weatherman just said...." another record breaking day today....102."

Its 8 am, and I am scared to go even look in on them. I dont want to find dead chickens. I wish I could build them a cellar...poor things.

 

[speckledhen]

My DH even suggested cleaning out the crawlspace (stand up type, above ground) so the chickens could go in there during the heat spell. I couldn't believe it, but he sees how they're suffering. Take a look at the egg under Behaviors I got from my SLW hen today and you'll see how awful it's been here.

 

[2mnypets]

Oh do my chickens and I feel the pain of the heat. Yesterday my hubby brought 4 more eggs in and one of the eggs was oblong with what appeared to look like stretch marks on it. The stretch marked areas had slight openings in it so we tossed the egg just to stay safe. Shell was hard though. Batteries went dead in the camera so I couldn't take a picture. Weirdest thing I ever saw. Today is supposed to be 101 without a heat index, and up to 112 with the index. Very tempted to just put them in the dog kennels here in the house, but they wouldn't have much space. Don't know what else to do except what me and the rest of the chicken world is already doing. Hoping for some less miserable days.

Good luck to all and I'm sorry for your loss justusnak.

 

[justusnak]

Thanks 2mnypets Its hard to lose ANY ofthem, but she was a big fat healthy one. Guess thats why the heat got to her so hard. Im going to Bingo tonight, and IF I win.....I am going to go buy 2 of those BIG BARN FANS....might blow the feathers off of them, but they WILL have air moving! LOL

 

[2mnypets]

Oh I sure hope you do justusnak!!!

I went out to check on them after I finished the last post and re-filled their water. Also went into the garden and gave them some tomatoes which they just love. The little piggies

have eaten all the watermelons! Hope this heat breaks soon!