Something is upsetting my girls!!!!

Can't put my finger on it but they are not happy
Egg laying has gone down over the last couple of days or so
I've been out in the dark with my torch seeking out Red spiders...nope.....
they've been getting their treats as normal.....a couple are sort of moulting....but one has just nicely laid a shelless egg out side the back door.....they've had thier Vitamins but i can't fathom what the problem is.....i look after them better than myself...and they aren't old enough to retire on the egg laying front....
I gut their coop every month and it's cleaned out every day.....it's got me stumped any ideas?.....
I know they got grounded for trying to murder a young Stoggie but surely it can't have upset them that much

 

Could they have seen a fox at some time? A close encounter with a fox, even if they are completely safe, can freak them out for days.

 

Or a Buzzard, they don't like them either.

 

Hi Loli, I read somewhere that it is probably an imbalance in the components of the mash as well as the heat playing a part in making the food rancid.

You can make a mash using very dry bread, bran, corn flour, chopped vegetables and finely chopped nettles.
Prepare only a small portion to be consumed in a short time to avoid leftovers, since in the heat they become rancid immediately and harmful for the chickens.
Always fresh and clean water and clean "floor".

 

Thanks for your replies...
I suppose i can't really say the 'girls' are used to Foxes but i've been feeding them (the foxes) for years...every night....Yeah yeah...what lunatic feeds foxes when they keep chooks.... as it 'appens...me but i fed the foxes long before i got chickens and am under the ...yes...illusion that all the time food is out for them the chooks are safe...i've been lucky thus far
I feed the chooks on layers pellets and i'm fanatical about keeping their coop and run as clean as possible so i'm not so sure it's about food...after the storm a few days ago i got a couple of 'funny' shaped eggs which i expected but the trauma of thunder has usually worn off by now...it's a bit of a mystery but i'm hoping it will wear off.....you need three good eggs to make a decent sponge cake

 

Pay back time Loli!

 

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You could be right GA

 

Hi Loli

Sorry to read about your chooks.

Could be a number of things: shell less eggs often implies a lack of calcium in their diet (do they have access to crushed oyster shell? If not, bake some egg shells, crush them and add to their layers pellets); have any been broody/cusp of moulting? That will put them out of kilter in the egg laying department. So, time will be the healer if it's either of those.

Am I right in thinking you have a wooden run? If so, even at the most vigilant, you can't rule out red mite at this time of year - the perishers will hide in any nook and cranny around wood and may not be visible to your torch-eye. Diatomaceous earth is great for puffing into the nooks and crannies where our eyes cannot see. Also, give them the once over for scaley leg - any signs at all and dip their legs in surgical spirit, then blather with Vaseline (messy, but, effective).

Wishing your chooks back to full production very soon xMx

Or, one duck egg

 

Layers pellets will very,

 

The chooks were coming on a treat....egg laying back on form,all looking ticketyboo....then last night a couple were reluctant to sleep in the coop....then noticed a few of the scales on their legs lifting......so today they are having a thorough steam clean....well not them the run and coop.....i suspect scaley leg mites and the old Red spider have reared their ugly heads...but i'm on to it....i'm just wating for the morning eggs to be 'delivered' then in i go.....good day for it.....it'll all dry out well in this heat

 

Good thinking Shiney.....i'll also have a word with them

 

Ours have gone off lay with the sudden heat

 

Got the coop stripped out,vaccumed it,steam cleaned it and it's airing off after it's final spray of lavendar spray.....no sign of anything ....untill i unscrewed the perches.....Red Spider...millions of the little.....shot them all with my steam gun at least i think i did .....still any that got away are bound to go off and tell thier pals to scarper as there's a mad woman on the loose with a steam cleaner..........they even tried to attack mejust the chooks to treat now but they're sunbathing...so i'll do it a bit later