How long until my girls are back to normal?

[puss58]

We had a horrible experience two weeks ago. Chickens were out free ranging and a fox came along. Six out of fourteen chickens were killed. Now the girls that are left are barely producing. If I get one/two eggs a day it's a lot. I understand stress can affect them but any ideas how long until they're back in action?

Thanks,
Carol

 

[Mrs. K]

Keep them penned up for a while in a run. Mine never stay that upset that long, but if they are, they should feel more secure in their run. But it might be something else. how is the heat? Is there a chance they are laying somewhere else? That is the number one problem I have with free ranging chickens, if I have a sudden decrease in egg production or is something else eating your eggs? Locking them in the run for a few days might fix those problems too.

MrsK

 

[puss58]

They're penned up all the time now. I figure I'll wait until sometime in the middle of September before I let them out again. I would think the fox kits would be big enough to hunt for mice and voles on their own by then.

I guess it's the combination of the trauma and the heat that's keeping them from laying right now. Now that I think about it more, they really haven't eaten much of their feed. Mostly they look forward to the vegetables and grasses I've given them.

They aren't laying anywhere else and I don't think anything else is eating the eggs either.

It's just sad any way you look at it.

Thanks for your help!
Carol