absalot
Hatching
- Mar 25, 2019
- 2
- 0
- 9
Hi all!
I am new to raising hens and have a backyard flock of four. I first got three chicks last June, one Australorp, and two leg horns. One of the leg horns passed away before laying her first egg after escaping the coop and flying into the neighbors yard. I repaired the coop and at about 5 months old both hens started laying through the winter. I was getting about 5 eggs a week from my leg horn and 4 from my Australorp from October through February.
Well recently I decided to build a bigger coop for them. I built an 8x8x 4' high run for them attached to the coop. And what do you know, my leg horn flies it and sees the same fate as her sister. I'm feeling like the worst chicken owner ever and finally figured out I needed to clip wings.
Anyways, so my australorp gets lonely. I can tell she's depressed, but still laying about 5 eggs a week. The next week I bring home two 6 month old rhode Island reds and a senior (3-5 years) leghorn. They all hit it off great, love the coop, and no issues with pecking order. The rhode islands are so healthy and so is my australorp.
I've had them all for a month now, and only one problem: I'm getting about 3 eggs a WEEK from the lot of them. What's going on here? I don't expect anything from the leghorn, and assumed the reds just weren't laying yet, but when I crack the eggs I'm getting they are fertilized. (the reds came from a place with roosters). So that means my australorp has outright stopped laying. What could be causing this? She went from 5 a week to maybe 1 or less eggs a week over night. She's only 9 months old and the picture of health. Doesn't seem stressed and is active too. And I'm in Texas so spring is in full force. Thought she'd be laying more if anything since she was laying all through the winter.
Anyways sorry for the long story but thought it might help behavior wise.
I have them all on a diet of high quality crumbles and they get what treats they need from the few earthworms passing through.
(even my senior leghorn laid me a big egg this morning haha)
I am new to raising hens and have a backyard flock of four. I first got three chicks last June, one Australorp, and two leg horns. One of the leg horns passed away before laying her first egg after escaping the coop and flying into the neighbors yard. I repaired the coop and at about 5 months old both hens started laying through the winter. I was getting about 5 eggs a week from my leg horn and 4 from my Australorp from October through February.
Well recently I decided to build a bigger coop for them. I built an 8x8x 4' high run for them attached to the coop. And what do you know, my leg horn flies it and sees the same fate as her sister. I'm feeling like the worst chicken owner ever and finally figured out I needed to clip wings.
Anyways, so my australorp gets lonely. I can tell she's depressed, but still laying about 5 eggs a week. The next week I bring home two 6 month old rhode Island reds and a senior (3-5 years) leghorn. They all hit it off great, love the coop, and no issues with pecking order. The rhode islands are so healthy and so is my australorp.
I've had them all for a month now, and only one problem: I'm getting about 3 eggs a WEEK from the lot of them. What's going on here? I don't expect anything from the leghorn, and assumed the reds just weren't laying yet, but when I crack the eggs I'm getting they are fertilized. (the reds came from a place with roosters). So that means my australorp has outright stopped laying. What could be causing this? She went from 5 a week to maybe 1 or less eggs a week over night. She's only 9 months old and the picture of health. Doesn't seem stressed and is active too. And I'm in Texas so spring is in full force. Thought she'd be laying more if anything since she was laying all through the winter.
Anyways sorry for the long story but thought it might help behavior wise.
I have them all on a diet of high quality crumbles and they get what treats they need from the few earthworms passing through.
(even my senior leghorn laid me a big egg this morning haha)
