- Feb 3, 2014
- 20
- 0
- 22
So about 3 weeks ago I got a response to an add for a chicken coop. Someone had a coop they had to get rid of due to a neighbor hood. They had a new smaller coop for their birds. They had taken in 5 chickens and two ducks from people who needed a place to keep their chicekns and never came back to get them. They said I could have them if i wanted them. I did! So I moved the coop to my house and brought the 5 hens and two ducks home. I got them all set up. They were laying really well when they came home for the first week and half. After that they pretty much stopped laying. The ducks and chickens slowed to about 1 egg a day. Then this week was the same story until wed. Then the ducks began to lay again. I get an egg a day from each duck. Im getting between 1 and 2 chicken eggs a day, When I first brought them home I was getting 5 chicken eggs and 2 duck eggs every day.
Any idea what would stop them from laying. Before they were getting chicken feed. I am giving them the same feed and I have oyster shells and grit available to them. Something they never had available.
The lighting in the coop should be the same. They had 2 heat lamps I only have one because the flock is smaller. I build nicer nesting boxes because they previously had small tubs on their roost. They used them but they were full of poo and the eggs were always covered. I built three nice rubbermaid bin nesting boxes. with covers so they have privacy. The ducks love them and all the eggs i find are in the new boxes.
A few times I have had to work double shifts at work. When this happened I couldnt give them water in the morning and at night. The ducks knock the water over and they spend the day with out water. I fill it as soon as i get home but they have already spent the day with out water. Could this be the issue. Its happened a few times Im afraid. Im working on an automatic poultry water with nipples that is heated so this wont be an issue any more.
Any idea what would stop them from laying. Before they were getting chicken feed. I am giving them the same feed and I have oyster shells and grit available to them. Something they never had available.
The lighting in the coop should be the same. They had 2 heat lamps I only have one because the flock is smaller. I build nicer nesting boxes because they previously had small tubs on their roost. They used them but they were full of poo and the eggs were always covered. I built three nice rubbermaid bin nesting boxes. with covers so they have privacy. The ducks love them and all the eggs i find are in the new boxes.
A few times I have had to work double shifts at work. When this happened I couldnt give them water in the morning and at night. The ducks knock the water over and they spend the day with out water. I fill it as soon as i get home but they have already spent the day with out water. Could this be the issue. Its happened a few times Im afraid. Im working on an automatic poultry water with nipples that is heated so this wont be an issue any more.
