persimmons and egg laying

[silverback]

I have 6 hens who usually produce 5-6 eggs a day. One was sick (egg bound) a while back and although recovered she seems to have stopped laying. But the other 5 have been producing all summer until now. We have a persimmon tree that drops nice sweet fruit everyday and I have been giving the girls treats of persimmons. Coincidentally (?) egg production has gone down dramatically to 2-3 and only 1 today (plus one soft shell dropped from the roosting perch).

So, my questions is: could the persimmons have something to do with this? I can't think of anything else that has changed. Yes, its been hot (North Carolina August) but it was hotter in July. And yes, we have had a lot of thunderstorms lately. Any ideas? I will stop giving them the persimmons and see if anything changes. Weird.
S.

 

[sourland]

I would guess that it is more likely that an impending molt or the shortened day length is the cause of the decrease in egg production.

 

[silverback]

Thanks. Could be but a couple of them went through a molt during the summer. One other thing: one of the 1 year old black stars is sleeping in the nest when I tuck them in.The others on on their perch. Hmmmm.
S.

 

[sourland]

Could the blackstar be broody?

 

[silverback]

Good question. I do not have a rooster. But there is always a wooden egg in the nest she may like to sit on. Will they go broody if the eggs are not fertile?
S.

 

[sourland]

Neither a rooster or even an egg is necessary for them to go broody. When their bodies/hormones/DNA is in the proper 'moon', they will go broody. Not all that common in sex links, but it does occur.