Went on vacation and they stopped laying!

[hollophil]

I have four hens that were laying very well. Then, I went on vacation for 3 weeks. My son took care of them (water, feed, egg gathering). The only unusual thing he reported was that one of the hens went broody. I have one nesting box for all of them to share and of course the one hen was hogging it. He didn't really know what to do about the broody hen but he tried to get her out of the box but I am sure she went right back in as soon as he left our house for work (I would have separated her if I had been home). She got over her broody behavior shortly after I returned from vacation. However, she and 2 of the other hens have stopped laying altogether and I have been home about 12 days now.

They don't seem to have hard abdomens and seem healthy so I don't know why they haven't gone back to laying. The Aracuana is still laying the 3 that aren't are Buffs.

Help! Are they mad I went on vacation?!!

 

[My chicken is cuter]

They are probably mad because they didn't get to go with you, and are now letting you know that if you don't take them with you next time, they won't lay.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

So strange! I experienced the same thing when I went out of town, my neighbors watched the birds (who also have chickens and spoil them rotten just like we do) did everything we normally do (haha, except maybe a few more treats than we would normally allow) and though they reported they laid alright most of the time we were gone, the last couple days before we got back they stopped and didn't lay of two weeks after we got back. No idea why, I'm guessing they are maybe more in tune to our routine and way of doing things than we realize? Anyways, out of nowhere the eggs started flowing again! Promise the girls you won't leave them again and I bet they'll start cranking them out.

 

[hollophil]

Well what a relief to hear it has happened to others. Good lord, I expect a guilt trip from the cat and the dog but I was not prepared for chicken punishment!! It's funny that the one that has kept laying is the Aracuana. At the risk of humanizing the personalities of my feathered friends, she happens to be the least interested, least friendly hen of all so maybe she just didn't care that we were gone and kept on laying!