# Not laying



## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

Our rhode island reds have randomly dropped production. We put in lights to simulate the same hours of a day, and they've already been through molt. Its weird!

the only new thing is new production red hens and a barred plymouth, but there's only three of them and they all stay out of each others way.

We originally though it was that they were laying them somewhere outside the pen, but we've been keeping them in their fenced area and still nada.

Today we got NONE. I don't think we've had that happen in a long time.

They are only 2 years old!  :shrug:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Do you have a critter problem? Snakes as well as rats will steal eggs.


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## Dlilly (Aug 24, 2011)

Do you have a rooster? How old are the hens?


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

Did the egg production drop after you locked them in the pen? If they are just 2 this summer, you shouldn't expect production to drop quite yet. usually the spring/summer they turn 2 (I say) is their "last hurrah". Just meaning that I expect their egg production to drop a bit after that (due to age).

We allow the hens to free-range from harvest (fall) until planting (spring), otherwise they would eat all the vegetable gardens. :angry: When I have to lock them up so we can plant the gardens, the egg production drops for a good week. It's like they're angry about losing their freedom. Just a thought. If this isn't the case, then I'd look for any other possible stressors that might make them stop laying.

Once, I also discovered that our yellow lab was stealing eggs. I used a needle/syringe & loaded a couple w/tobasco sauce. :laugh: Sorry if that sounds mean, but spanking him wasn't working!


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## jodief100 (Jan 15, 2011)

Could be the heat. Hens will quit laying if it gets too hot. Give them some oatmeal in thier feed. It may help.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

potential farm I like the idea... maybe I should try it with Merry.... eating an egg every day can't be good for him!
M.


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

naturalgoats said:


> potential farm I like the idea... maybe I should try it with Merry.... eating an egg every day can't be good for him!
> M.


naturalgoats, is Merry an egg-stealing goat?!?! :shocked: Am I understanding that correctly? Does he actually steal & eat an egg, shell & all? :ROFL: I'm going to feel stupid if I misunderstood that. A friend of mine had a goat that loved fresh jalapenos. Not that she would feed them to her, but her husband would sneak the goat some now & then. I think he didn't like the goat. Can't imagine how that would be to have to chew a few times over.


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

I think they just turned two, and we don't have a rooster. They usually stay in their pen for most of the day (its pretty big, enough for a lot more than we have) and then come out in the afternoon to wander the property. We do that cuz they usually laid their eggs in the morning.

As to critters, there are a LOT of little birds that hide out in the coop now, but they've always been around . .. so I'm not sure. . . 

But they are definitely used to being in their pen, some days we don't let them out at all. They are very well behaved girls otherwise, they come running back when we call (cept for the 3 new girls).

The water makes sense, they aren't the smartest girls, and even with LOTS of water available at multiple spots, they still wander around stupidly panting :laugh:


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

DavyHollow, I just had a thought ~ How many Rhode Island Reds do you have? I mean, how many eggs had you been getting? If you just added new hens, I was just wondering if you could have possibly gotten an egg-eater? I have had a couple of those over the years. I'd assume that production had dropped, then catch one of the little brats eating an egg. I had one that actually jumped up & tried to get the eggs out of my hand when I went to collect them! :angry: Ironically, I think that one was a production red! 

They really shouldn't be dropping production yet & you shouldn't have to put a light in this time of the year. I always had good luck w/ R.I. Reds laying right through the winter w/no light (in Maine). We haven't had any for a few years now, but they really are the best overall producers we've ever had. I've been thinking about adding a few into the flock next year.


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

As jodief100 said, it might be the heat. Also, are they getting enough to eat? If they are underweight/underfed they won't produce any.


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

They are big spoiled girls, if they aren't eating the pellets we give they are hunting for insects in their pen or in the grass.

I wonder if maybe one of the new chicks is eating them . . . but its something I feel like we'd notice, like shells around or sticky clumps . . . The new girls usually are only in the coop at night after everyone else is asleep, otherwise they are hiding under the tree thats in the pen.

I suppose its probably either heat or a thief.. . . .


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