Well folks, there may be something to the no fruit thing. I would have never believed it until now. We have always given watermelon to our hens without any problems. They loved it and kept right on laying. Two things that we were different are: First, back in Aug. my teenage daughter (who works at a farm market) brought herself home a cantalope to try for herself, she didn't like it so she decided to give it to our chickens. Now this was after we came home from the fair. I posted back then asking why would a pullet who started laying at the fair stop laying when we got back home. Many thought it could be the stress of change of residence, just give her time. Well, none of our chickens are laying including the pullets that are now 28 weeks old and no eggs. The second thing was, the outside chicken pen (which is next the the woods line) had wild grape vines growing through the trees. This is the first year that they were loaded with wild grapes that fell into the pen. The chickens loved it. It was a riot watching them jump up trying to get the grapes off the vine. Anyway, we haven't had any eggs since the end of Aug. My daughter really believes it was the cantalope. I don't know what to think. I am trying the light therapy thing by having the light come on at 4am to see if it would help force them back into laying. I had to buy eggs the other day for the first time in years. It was a sick feeling. I don't know if my husband will put up with no eggs for 5 months if that is how long Meyer hatchery says it could take. So just a word of caution to all those who give fruit to your chickens. Don't try anything different that you haven't already been giving them and still get eggs. It is not worth it. I am going to try to find someone who sells fresh eggs. Store bought eggs really do taste different and not for the better.
