Is this Broody? Egg production dropping dramatically....

[CAjerseychick]

Hey all have a Newbie (its just been a year to date) query for ya'll...

SO 2 days ago I reached in under my biggest hen (and shes BIIIIGGG) they are jersey giants--- and pulled out 4 eggs (she tends to hog the nest boxes but we have 4).... and 2 days later , realized she is still sittling there, but eggless since I pulled out all the eggs ... what do I do-- yesterday I felt under her, no egg, thought maybe she was passing one but slowly, but today-- def no eggs..... She just turned one year old a couple weeks ago --
also flock was laying really well 8 or 9 eggs daily-- 10 Jersey giant hens-- and now production has dropped off to 3 to 6 eggs a day, its a noticeable drop...
Weather is cool and delicous- 70's upper 40's a night, sunny sky they been foraging out in the back field with a stream running thru it for weeks now (they started laying in the middle of December and it was snowy)....
What is going on?

ALso I wouldnt mind hatching out some Jersey Giants (we have a big Roo, the hens are pretty scratched up actually, he has been enthusiatic) chicks-- should I keep checking for eggs and slide some warm ones (tough now that I am not getting hardly any eggs) back under her-- or should I wait a few more days to see if she is truly broody-- I hate wasting eggs.....

THanx in advance guys.... ALso I will walk the back field (theres a stand of brush they like to go into...to see if I can find another nest site-- she IS hogging the favorite nest box....

 

[Quail Keeper]

Hey all have a Newbie (its just been a year to date) query for ya'll...

SO 2 days ago I reached in under my biggest hen (and shes BIIIIGGG) they are jersey giants--- and pulled out 4 eggs (she tends to hog the nest boxes but we have 4).... and 2 days later , realized she is still sittling there, but eggless since I pulled out all the eggs ... what do I do-- yesterday I felt under her, no egg, thought maybe she was passing one but slowly, but today-- def no eggs..... She just turned one year old a couple weeks ago --
also flock was laying really well 8 or 9 eggs daily-- 10 Jersey giant hens-- and now production has dropped off to 3 to 6 eggs a day, its a noticeable drop...
Weather is cool and delicous- 70's upper 40's a night, sunny sky they been foraging out in the back field with a stream running thru it for weeks now (they started laying in the middle of December and it was snowy)....
What is going on?

ALso I wouldnt mind hatching out some Jersey Giants (we have a big Roo, the hens are pretty scratched up actually, he has been enthusiatic) chicks-- should I keep checking for eggs and slide some warm ones (tough now that I am not getting hardly any eggs) back under her-- or should I wait a few more days to see if she is truly broody-- I hate wasting eggs.....

THanx in advance guys.... ALso I will walk the back field (theres a stand of brush they like to go into...to see if I can find another nest site-- she IS hogging the favorite nest box....

My advice is check the hen at night. If she is on the nest box at night, she is probably broody. As far as eggs go, they will stop laying eggs, well, the broodies will.

I had all my hens stop laying for about 4 weeks and then started laying again about 2 weeks ago. I figured this was due to a late molt which is what you could be experiencing.

As soon as you begin getting eggs again (hopefully soon), take one and crack it and look for a blastoderm. This is a little white doughnut on the egg that indicates it is fertile. If that one is fertile, it means most of them probably are. I would save up about 12 of your eggs and mark them and slide them underneath the hen. She should accept them and be a little feisty towards you. Hopefully, in 21 days, you will have some little chicks running about your flock!

 

[CAjerseychick]

My advice is check the hen at night. If she is on the nest box at night, she is probably broody. As far as eggs go, they will stop laying eggs, well, the broodies will.

I had all my hens stop laying for about 4 weeks and then started laying again about 2 weeks ago. I figured this was due to a late molt which is what you could be experiencing.

As soon as you begin getting eggs again (hopefully soon), take one and crack it and look for a blastoderm. This is a little white doughnut on the egg that indicates it is fertile. If that one is fertile, it means most of them probably are. I would save up about 12 of your eggs and mark them and slide them underneath the hen. She should accept them and be a little feisty towards you. Hopefully, in 21 days, you will have some little chicks running about your flock!

Oh right I totally forgot about the spring molting thing, there has been feathers about (too much time on Dog forums and not enough time spent Here!)-- and she was in the nest box last night I checked about 7pm, was handing out scraps and couldnt find her,
We eat the eggs -- but I tend to pull them out same day (am scared of cracking open a chick LOL)....never noticed a white doughnut but a red spot sometimes-- should I wait a few days and then pull one out to crack?.....
THank you so much for your prompt reply, really really appreciated....

 

[Quail Keeper]

How old is the rest of the flock? If they are pretty young, that could be the reason you are finding red spots in the eggs. These spots aren't harmful but it's just a sign indications that it is a hound hen. There could also be something wrong inside the hen laying those eggs but I wouldn't worry.

Next time you crack open an egg, look for a really small circle. If you PM me, I will send you a picture of what you're looking for. If the egg is fertile the disk will always be there, even if the chick hasn't begun developing yet. The disk is actually the chicks embryo indicating the egg is fertile.

Feel free to PM me if you need anymore information!How old is the rest of the flock? If they are pretty young, that could be the reason you are finding red spots in the eggs. These spots aren't harmful but it's just a sign indications that it is a hound hen. There could also be something wrong inside the hen laying those eggs but I wouldn't worry.

Next time you crack open an egg, look for a really small circle. If you PM me, I will send you a picture of what you're looking for. If the egg is fertile the disk will always be there, even if the chick hasn't begun developing yet. The disk is actually the chicks embryo indicating the egg is fertile.

Feel free to PM me if you need anymore information!

 

[Quail Keeper]

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Hope this helps![/FONT]

 

[CAjerseychick]

Sorry was out walking the dogs-- 2 of the hens just turned a year old (including the broody) the other 8 wont be a year old til July.... It is the occasional red spot, like one on the yolk.... I thought that was the fertility symbol! Houndhen sounds ominous ...eekkk... .- BTW just got home n checked the nest boxes- 2 more hens are in the nest boxes I extracted a warm egg from one hen and put it under the broody..... Guess it wont hurt to try--- I am using up 3 eggs tonight at dinner and will check those 3 eggs for that circle--yes I will PM you for a pic ...thanks and you Have been very helpful-

 

[Quail Keeper]

I just sent you the picture. I hope the picture helps