My chickens stop laying when I'm gone...

[Leghornmum]

I've been raising chickens for three years now, and I currently have five Rhodies and five Leghorns that think I'm one of them. For the past six weeks, I've had to be gone every other week, and when I'm gone, they refuse to lay. When I come back, they lay ten eggs a day! What should I do??? It's a rather odd predicament...

 

[PartyOnARoost]

They love you
They won't lay because they feel that they can't because your so close to them...

 

[Leghornmum]

I guess so...

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Put a framed 8 x 10 glossy pic of yourself in the coop? Record your voice and have it played for them a few times a day? Call and read them a bedtime story?

All joking aside, sounds like they just miss you and it's always nice to be missed. My birds know my voice and will come whenever they hear me talking. Maybe a recording would actually make a difference?

 

[Leghornmum]

I guess it could... hee hee hee, I'm not sure the picture would work... but anyway, my Dad takes care of them while I'm gone and I told them he needs to sing 'cluck old hen' to them in the mornings. I thought about getting a radio and setting it out their to play during the day, cause chickens LOVE music! I dunno...

 

[frostbite]

LOL!

I had a free range cat once that disappeared for two weeks when I was out of town for vacation. My cat-sitter never saw the beast. She broke the news to me when she picked me up at the airport, I determined not to worry about it till I got home, and there was the cat, waiting for me.

As for chickens, if you leave for a month, they might explode, so take short vacations!

(Sorry, I only have bad advice)

 

[Leghornmum]

yeah, I've had millions of cats... I don't exactly go on vacations... long story. Anyhoo, I think all the animals must miss me as much as I miss them because they all go off their feed.