When will my chickens lay eggs?
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Chickens | 661 comments
Even though I know that egg laying is unpredictable at this time of year, it’s always a bit disappointing when I lift the lid of the nesting box and there’s only one. An egg from Carol. She is firing on all cylinders now and producing one egg a day, the maximum that a domestic hen can produce.
“What’s going on with the other four chickens?” I think as I stump back through the garden in my dressing gown and wellies.
The other four chickens are elderly maidens, well into their third year. I know that after two years egg production diminishes but somehow I hoped that the organic food and beautiful adornments in the pen might make a difference. Of course they don’t. As the years roll by, the chickens will produce fewer and fewer eggs until they go to that great pecking ground in the sky.
The pretty white bantams, have never been very obliging on the egg laying front. In their prime, they probably only laid two or three eggs a week. They are not a laying strain and we knew this when we bought them. But we have discovered that they are very photogenic and are happy to model endlessly.
I’ve been checking the hen’s combs. A pink comb indicates that a chicken is going broody, and will not lay. They are all a bright vibrant red, including Mrs Boss (this chicken won The Broodiest of all Known Chickens Award 2004, 2005 and 2006).
So you can imagine my delight when I lifted the roof of the nesting box this morning and found two small eggs nestling beside Carol’s large speckled brown one. I sprang back to the kitchen to make the perfect breakfast omelette.
Leave a reply
Hi Susie,
My hens are in a large run with access to layers pellets, oyster shell and grit.They have fresh greens everyday, grass etc.
I was advised that if you have greedy hens,as apparently Warrens can be, this can cause a blockage in their crops. The hen will appear to be unwell. If their crop is hard then that is the cause, particularly first thing in the morning , when their crop should be empty. Just give the hen a few drops of olive oil from a syringe with no needle, massage the crop and repeat 3/4 times over the day.The blockage should clear. The hen is back to normal today, thank goodness.
Hi Jane S. Glad your chicken is well. Its so upsetting when they get sick. Can you tell me about an impacted crop as I’m not familar with that. What caused it? Are the chickens free range? Do they pick up gravel to clean the crop? Please let me know whatever you have found out as I am always interested in learning new things. Thanks for anything you can let me know.
Hello Jane S
I have no idea about the life expectancy of Warrens.
But gancing down the comments I see that you have found a solution to your sick hen problem.
Hi Susie
Thank you so much for your advice – really appreciated.
Hi Susie,
The hens were wormed in the Spring. However, having spoken to the lady we bought the hens from , we treated her for an impacted crop. We gave her some olive oil from a syringe and massaged her crop a few times throughout the day and she seems to be back to normal (touching wood ).
Many thanks for your advice,
Jane S
Hi Fiona, Sorry you lost your chicken but i do think there is a connection. When one has parasites others can get them. Parasites are microscopic so you can not see them. Even under the microscope it is difficult to tell the good from the bad. Most chickens live 5 or 6 years, some breeds much longer. 2 years is young for any chicken. You need to get the group wormed to stop it from spreading. Ask at the feed store for a dewormer. Take note if you have to wait 3 days before using any eggs from them. If so put them in the trash as eating them is not recommended with many dewormers. If you read my other entry it will tell you about powder you can use after you get this taken care of so as not to have many problems in the future. hope this helps.
Hi drumsolo, the white on the butt of the chicken is called a pastie. they sometimes get stressed and thats what causes it. you need to get it off quickly or it will die. it is chicken constipation of a sort. Wash it off with warm water. if it takes some doing you will have to try as the chicken will not survive in that condition. Sorry i just realized the chicken is gone. Its not common in grown chicks it is generally a thing that happens when chicks are transported.
Hi Amanda, I use a natural powder and put 1 cup into the 50lb sack when i dump it into the bin. it mixes easily so i just swirl the top abit and it works itself through the rest. I dont know where you can get it if you are in England but in the States McMurray Hatchery has it. It seems pricey but it goes a long way. 5lbs lasts me months and months. Its much easier than having to do each bird. When i had one not eating and just sitting around I isolated her and put some of the powder in a bit of water and put it into her with a small (no needle) syringe. I also put some in her food and shoveled it into her beak gently in between the water. In a few days she was fine.
Fiona,
We have 6 hens ,all in their second year.
One of the warrens died 7 weeks ago, unexpectedly,
now another appears to be unwell. She appears quiet and is not moving as much as the other hens. Her feathers seem slightly fluffed up. I intend to isolate her but do you think there is a link between the two birds. Does anyone know the life expectancy of Warrens?
Regards,
Jane S
Hello Aimee
The little bumps are shell defects and nothing to worry about.
Make sure that your flock have access to grit and oyster shell 24/7.
Hello Tracey
I’d imagine that they will start laying again after the shortest day. Ours generally don’t lay over the winter.
Hi Amanda
Our vet gives us a liquid and we put a drop on each hen’s beak as they come out of the house in the morning.
Re sexing the chicks your best bet is to look at hens and cockerels of your breed on the internet and compare them with yours.
Hello Drumsolo
What sad news.
I don’t have enough experience to advise what happened. It sounds as if she was in a very bad way.
The Chicken just died. but , Does anyone Know what the heck happened?