MIChickandGuinea
Songster
We have a year-old white leghorn who has been an amazing, prolific, reliable egg layer ever since she started laying last summer (she was a March chick last year). She had rarely ever skipped a day, even when there were coop upsets, changes, weather issues, new chickens introduced, etc.
But suddenly, she's just not laying any eggs. We have gotten 2 eggs in 3 weeks since I really tuned in to the lack of white eggs in our skelter. She appears healthy, is still friendly and curious, still races to get chicken treats when I call for all the birds, seems completely normal within the social structures of the flock, and in all ways, just like herself - except for not laying eggs. Everyone else is still laying normally, even our more finicky, temperamental layers.
The only two things I can think of that might qualify as upsetting to chickens/egg laying are that we had a terribly aggressive young child come visit us and he was reported to have kicked one of our chickens (though I did not see this, I can easily believe it because of the number of times I had to talk to him about chasing/harassing them). I don't see any chickens looking hurt or slow - and this was 3 weeks ago now, anyway. All the other hens are still laying about the same number of eggs per week that we're used to seeing. The other thing is that our group of bantam chickens has started reaching maturity, particularly the roosters. The roosters are bothering ALL of the hens, not just the bantams. Maybe the leghorn is more annoyed by this development than the other chickens (still laying normally) are?
Things I've tried:
They had been spending a LOT of time free-ranging this summer, so I thought maybe the leghorn had decided to hide her eggs instead of laying in the coop nest box. So I have confined all the chickens inside for a few days, thinking she would lay her egg in the next box if not given the chance to hide it. But in 3 days, so far no white eggs.
I have double-checked all the feeders and waterers, as well as the free-choice oyster shell dispensers, to make sure that everything is exactly as it should be.
I have checked the coops to see if there is something wrong in there - moisture or insects or anything that might cause a kerfuffle ... but things look clean and dry and fluffy and comfy for birds, no change from the usual.
I have watched to see if she's being singled out or ending up in conflicts - but she's not! She just tootles around all happy and chickeny, doing her sweet little thing, like always.
So ... Where are little Maude's eggs?!
TIA
-Beth
But suddenly, she's just not laying any eggs. We have gotten 2 eggs in 3 weeks since I really tuned in to the lack of white eggs in our skelter. She appears healthy, is still friendly and curious, still races to get chicken treats when I call for all the birds, seems completely normal within the social structures of the flock, and in all ways, just like herself - except for not laying eggs. Everyone else is still laying normally, even our more finicky, temperamental layers.
The only two things I can think of that might qualify as upsetting to chickens/egg laying are that we had a terribly aggressive young child come visit us and he was reported to have kicked one of our chickens (though I did not see this, I can easily believe it because of the number of times I had to talk to him about chasing/harassing them). I don't see any chickens looking hurt or slow - and this was 3 weeks ago now, anyway. All the other hens are still laying about the same number of eggs per week that we're used to seeing. The other thing is that our group of bantam chickens has started reaching maturity, particularly the roosters. The roosters are bothering ALL of the hens, not just the bantams. Maybe the leghorn is more annoyed by this development than the other chickens (still laying normally) are?
Things I've tried:
They had been spending a LOT of time free-ranging this summer, so I thought maybe the leghorn had decided to hide her eggs instead of laying in the coop nest box. So I have confined all the chickens inside for a few days, thinking she would lay her egg in the next box if not given the chance to hide it. But in 3 days, so far no white eggs.
I have double-checked all the feeders and waterers, as well as the free-choice oyster shell dispensers, to make sure that everything is exactly as it should be.
I have checked the coops to see if there is something wrong in there - moisture or insects or anything that might cause a kerfuffle ... but things look clean and dry and fluffy and comfy for birds, no change from the usual.
I have watched to see if she's being singled out or ending up in conflicts - but she's not! She just tootles around all happy and chickeny, doing her sweet little thing, like always.
So ... Where are little Maude's eggs?!
TIA
-Beth
