Put a golf ball or two in each of their nests. Hens will sometimes stop laying if you take all their eggs every day. I guess some instinct kicks in and they'll either start hiding them (if outside chickens) or stop laying (if inside chickens). They aren't smart enough to tell a golf ball from an egg, though.
Put a golf ball or two in each of their nests. Hens will sometimes stop laying if you take all their eggs every day. I guess some instinct kicks in and they'll either start hiding them (if outside chickens) or stop laying (if inside chickens). They aren't smart enough to tell a golf ball from an egg, though.
Hustler mag had a cartoon about a farmer talking to his ( non laying ) hen holding a frying pan in one hand and KY in the other , her choice .
I have 6 chickens. 5 hens and 1 rooster(by accident). 2 Rhode Island Reds , 2 Barred Rocks and 2 Orpingtons. 1 of the Orp is brooding in 1 nesting box and will NOT leave. I'm unsure if she is setting on eggs or not. Other 4 hens lay then leave coop, but not this b***ch. Should I leave her alone? Make her get out and stretch? I have not even seen her out to eat/drink. Heck, she has me feeling sorry for her by feeding her while she's roosting I don't have a problem with her hatching chicks but I'm worried about her health???
Update-for anyone who runs into same problem. The hen that was brooding in one box left after 2 weeks. I'm certain she got up periodically to eat/drink but I never seen it. She came out and hasn't been an issue since. I left her alone and she snapped out of her b***hy ways. She does have an odd feature compared to the rest of the hens. Here comb is smaller, almost smooth from front to back. Could this be a genetic feature or did she rub her head while confined in the nesting box?
She must be the "RedHead".