Stopped laying cause I cleand the coop??

[lovetocook]

Last Saturday I cleaned out the coop, did the whole thing removed all the litter, washed down the walls, the windows etc. Replaced all the litter & put everything back just where it all was before. All week I have been getting half as many eggs as before. Is it just a coincidence or are some of my girls not happy with a really clean coop??

 

[milleryardchx]

I have the opposite problem if i don't gut the coop every three weeks whether I think it needs it or not about half will stop laying especially my bcm which isn't good i left on vacation for a week and my mom watched the hens got home she said there were no dark eggs the whole week. cleaned the coop and my bcm sat down while I was still cleaning and layed three eggs. Chickens have their own weird outlook on how things should be and some silly thing set them to not lay. did you change your feed? or weather change?

 

[pulletkeeper]

I have not had to do a deep cleaning yet but the other day when I just scooped everything from under the roost pole and spot cleaned around the coop they came in and started yelling at me. That day they did not lay and the next I only had one egg instead of the 3-4 I had been getting regularly. I guess they must like their own stink but I'm not gonna let them have their way!

 

[lovetocook]

Quote:
The weather did get hotter than usual it has been in the high 70's to mid 80's this week, now back to 60's. I guess i'll see if that has any effect. No change in feed.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

While they were kicked out of the coop for cleaning, they didn't free range and find a nice, new nest spot out there, did they?

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

They know their own smell take mine when I moved them to the big coop they wouldn't rest at all they were in a corner for the longest time yelling at me wouldn't even let me get near them at all,Till I thought what is different (Bing lightbulb went on) I brought in some of their old shavings just enough to spread around for them to get use to the place and it worked now when I clean the coop out I mix a couple scoops of their old shavings in with the new stuff and they couldn't be happier so you may want to try that.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Chickens have an extremely weak sense of smell. It's most likely just because of the change in enviroment.

 

[lovetocook]

Quote:
I did it while they were out free ranging, they hung out with me the whole time & didn't even raise a fuss that I was in there. This really beats me??

 

[lovetocook]

Quote:
Thanks, I'll have to remember to do that the next time I clean out their coop. Too late for now the shavings already went into the garden.