Chickens gone on Strike

bbam

Hi all.
I got four chickens earlier in the spring and once they hit about 18-20 weeks they started laying.
Now in the last week or two the egg production went down to one or two eggs a day from the four ladies. They seem well eating a good varied diet and drinking clean fresh water. I presumed it was weather related rather than any problem, am I right to presume that when the weather picks up a bit they will be ok?

Thanks

Askim

check them for lice & red mite, turn then upsidedown & have a look at the skin under fluffy feathers, just below the vent, mine were infested, if there you will see small white lads (lice) or red lads (red mites), or on feathers there is what looks like barnicals along the shaft of feather, these are the eggs.
A drop of cattle pour on did the trick, but don't eat the eggs for a week.
Don't forget to spray the house, i used ticksol.

Hate the crawlie feckers. were on me anytime I went near the house at night.

A

bbam

Thanks..
I have plenty of pour-on, should i use that or just get something particular from the vet's office... Any ides how much pour-on to use??

Also.. what do I spray the house with??

Askim

bbam wrote: »

Thanks..
I have plenty of pour-on, should i use that or just get something particular from the vet's office... Any ides how much pour-on to use??

Also.. what do I spray the house with??

I used ivomec cattle, it is not licensed for chickens, I just used a syringe & put a drop on. You might want to ask your vet iykwim

There is an aerosol spray for mites, try google red mite

Chicken Run

Askim wrote: »

I used ivomec cattle, it is not licensed for chickens, I just used a syringe & put a drop on. You might want to ask your vet iykwim

There is an aerosol spray for mites, try google red mite

Johnsons Anti Mite spray (I had to get it from the UK though)
It's for parrots & budgies etc but did the job on the hens

Did withhold the eggs for 7 days just in case as I couldn't find definitive safety data on permethrin - I just scrambled them and gave them back to the hens anyway

did try the pour on once (Sorex Renegade) at a dose of 0.25ml per hen (basically a tiny drop out of a syringe) Vet wasn't all that happy about it - then I got the spray and it was easier as you can do a spray under each wing and one near the vent

Qualitymark

They'll also go off lay if they're frightened; might be an idea to listen out for An t-Uasal Ó Sionnach in case he or she is mooching around for a chicken dinner.

Once you've solved the problem, feck a handful of fennel seeds into the feed for a couple of days, that helps the lassies to feel fertile again.

lanod2407

I've a similar problem - 4 (2012 batch) hens were laying for the summer, and all but one stopped a few weeks back.
I recently introduced 4 new girls, and there's a bit of tension, but one of those is now laying, the others are too young yet.
The 3 on strike were on strike since before the new girls arrived. I've cleaned the house, and gotten lice powder for the hens and for the house. I also added a separate laying box onto the side of the house a few weeks back to give them somewhere quieter and darker to lay ........... even gave then fennel seed ........ nothing stirrin'!

Feeding them layers pellets and rolled oats, also getting scraps from the house - usual stuff, bread, boiled potato peelings, even a bit of spaghetti that they go mad for.

Any advice?

Qualitymark

If you've ruled out mites and stress, throw a handful of fennel seeds into their feed for a couple of days (cheap in your local Indian shop); that usually does the trick.

aonb

have you noticed many feathers about the place? they might be starting to MOULT which will reduce/stop eggs... While they are moulting, and to help them get over the physical stress of regrowing feathers you could up their protein levels. Tinned tuna/mackeral is useful - some people use tinned cat food I believe too.

The other thing is that they could be laying out???? I once found about 20 eggs under a nice dark shady bush!!!! If they get into that habit (of not laying in their nice convenient nest boxes) its a pain

aonb

Qualitymark wrote: »

If you've ruled out mites and stress, throw a handful of fennel seeds into their feed for a couple of days (cheap in your local Indian shop); that usually does the trick.

Hi, what does fennel seeds do for them? Havent heard of this one - how does it work?? Thanks

Qualitymark

aonb wrote: »

Hi, what does fennel seeds do for them? Havent heard of this one - how does it work?? Thanks

I think it stimulates oestrogen production. Fennel tea also helps bring on milk if you're having trouble breastfeeding.