7 replies to this topic

[shepie]

Hi does anyone know why out of three pullets age 20 wks we got two eggs a day for a week then they haven`t laid another egg for 10 days ? , all healthy , good food , water and light in outside run .

Thanks Shepie

[boiow]

give them a good worming and check for lice and red mites in the coop.
also let them go hungry1i evening a week and the next morning give them some water with some epsom salts in it.
are you sure they are not laying anywhere else.

[shepie]

Thanks they are in a new coop in the garden and came from a place where they had to sign rspca welfare forms etc to buy them so i would have thaught mites and lice shouldn`t be a problem and they were also wormed , they belong to my inlaws so will have to look at them tonight , would cider vinager in the water work as i have some of that ?

Thanks Shepie

[boiow]

don't know about cider vinegar. we use it as a disinfectant but hav'nt used it in their water.
we have had good results with http://cgi.ebay.co.u...h=item3a66fd69e we use this generously in the form of a dusting powder and in their feed.
this recent hot spell took its toll on our girls, so went to town on them and their coops and they are now laying normally again. plus our cockerel loves being dusted and has put the lead back in his pencil.
i mix the powder in with some rice and fish and they will bite your hand off to get it.

[meekle]

if you have had a lot of rain, the lower light levels will reduce the amount of eggs as they need 16 hours of good light per egg. Also, anyone who says they dont have red mite is either lying or hasnt looked close enough as you can put clean birds into a clean run and within a day or two a few mite will be there as they come in on wild birds. You should always ASSUME that the birds have red mite, and treat accordingly.

You might also find that in extremely hot weather the birds go off lay as well.

When using apple cider vinegar, try and use the horse one. its cheaper and contains more bits in for the birds than the purified one for humans. NEVER EVER use Apple cider vinegar in galvanised drinkers as it reacts with the metal and will poison your birds.

Worming could be a answer too. either add flubenvet to their feed for 7 days as per the dosing instructions or use marriages medicated layers which also contains flubenvet. Are the birds being fed layers or corn and grain? they need around 110g of layers per day BEFORE any treats like corn or wheat otherwise they will gorge on that before the layers and you wont get enough protein in them to generate the egg

Remember 20 POL is only an indication. They dont suddenly switch on at 20 weeks. it takes a lot of effort to produce an egg and if they are new to the idea it might take them a couple of weeks to get into gear. some traditional breeds like Dorking might not get fully into lay until 30 weeks

[shepie]

Ok thanks i will tell them to dust for mites and worm , they are on pure layers.

Thanks Shepie

[barrymoore]

II have hens and they all but about 6 stopped laying it was like a light switch! after closer inspection it was RED MITE Millions of them, it took me all weekend to dust the birds rip out the bedding spray the hutches etc I use Diatom Earth it is brilliant I dust the Birds and The houses and I mix up a wet solution to do the ground with! works well, I also had to dispatch one of the birds they had got her too badly!
regards Derek

[meekle]

we have a covered dustbath arrangement that i made up and it is full of silver sand. once the birds get the idea, i mix in the red mite powder and they effectively dust themselves! the cover over the top makes sure that the sand and powder stay dry