One of our chickens just started laying. She laid an egg every day for three days and then stopped. Haven't seen an egg in five days. Is this normal? I don't think it is a snake or predator, as the children are checking quite often to see if she has laid yet. We have checked the yard and house well to make sure she hasn't laid somewhere else. She doesn't seem to be "molting". Is this normal? Thanks! Lisa B.

-- Lisa B. (j5diecast@aol.com), October 26, 2001

Answers

What about light? Hens need sufficient light to keep laying. When fall comes, and the days get shorter, you have to supplement the lighting. Use a timer to have a small bulb come on early in the morning. They need 14 to 15 hours of light per day. Its not a good idea to have the light in the afternoon. Let them go to bed with the sunset. Our light comes on at 4:00am CDT now. Since its dark when I do the morning chores before going to work now, the light helps me too. We've noticed that the ladies are laying earlier in the day now, as they get up sooner.

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), October 26, 2001.

Since my hens lay/hatch/raise babies all year around with no added light, I'd guess you've made some changes or a critter(s) running thru your property during the night. Something has happened to upset the birds and their schedule.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), October 26, 2001.

We have this happen sometimes with new layers. This year we had one lay 2 eggs, then not lay for 2 weeks, now she's laying normally. Also, if you have a deep litter in the henhouse, sometimes a new layer will lay on the floor for awhile before she realizes what the nests are for, and the egg can get buried by other hens scratching in the litter. It's getting pretty late in the year for pullets to start laying, she may lay intermittantly all winter if you're not supplementing light.

-- Paula (chipp89@bellsouth.net), October 26, 2001.

I hate to be the pessimist, but have you looked for broken egg shells? You may have another hen that is breaking and eating eggs.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), October 26, 2001.

Paula, I have to disagree with you. I deliberately start chicks in late May and early June so that they will start to lay about now. It also cuts down on hassles of trying to brood baby chicks in changable spring weather here in mid MO. I've had Australorps, production reds, White Rocks and New Hampshires and all have started to lay in the fall then continued to lay until the next fall. The first year I had chickens, I didn't supplement their light and they laid just fine. Since then, I have used the extra light, as Rickster discribed to keep the older hens laying through winter.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), October 27, 2001.