# Chickens on strike?



## Nick1948 (Jul 14, 2012)

Just starting with raising chickens here. Buddy gave me 5 hens & one rooster to start. They are all young and one of the hens hadn't started to lay yet. At first I was getting 4 eggs a day..now down to two..Any suggestions as to cause?..Any & all help greatly appreciated. "Newbie" here


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Are they molting yet? Mine stopped when they started molting. Also change in amount of daytime hours really makes a difference. I was down to maybe 5 a week out of 7 hens for a few weeks. Now up to 2 or 3 a day again now that they're through a majority of their molt.


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## teddy (Sep 6, 2012)

Seems to me every chicken has its own schedule. I had a chicken that laid for 4 days and nothing for a couple of weeks. She was the only green egg layer. That's how I knew.


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## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

im still waiting for my first egg.


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## kimberley (Sep 8, 2012)

might have a black snake. not poisonous but love eggs and biddies. you need to keep an eye out. i had one and realized i wasnt getting my one green egg. still not getting it. wonder if i have another snake. got rid of one. couldnt believe the chickens werent scared of the snake. they lay in one basked while he cleaned out the eggs in another. hes gone now. I have 15 hens so i might have another but weather changes also affect laying. too hot too much rain any thing can affect laying.


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

Molting and light will reduce the laying this time of year. However, nesting politics sometimes comes into it as well. If one hen isn't getting her time in the nest box she may find a better place, out there in the world. I have a few that ONLY lay where they choose, and it's up to me to put on my Sherlock Holmes hat and find the $(**&*&%&%&*(()$ things!!! Sometimes I'm lucky and I can place a fake egg in the spot and keep her laying in one place and sometimes I don't find them and the local possum clan finds them for me!!


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## kejmack (Sep 3, 2012)

Are they getting enough to eat? I find that is the number one mistake beginners make. It takes a lot of calories to lay eggs. After that, do they have enough water? Are they too hot? Too cold? Molting? Are racoons or snakes getting the eggs before you do?


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## hollyosborn (Jul 8, 2012)

Mine are on strike.. im getting TWO... i have 27 hens! LOL someones getting sold!!!!


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## Lady_Alia (Jul 11, 2012)

rob said:


> im still waiting for my first egg.


You're kidding!!! I got mine this spring (yes, I fell for the little peepers at Easter) and I'm getting almost a dozen a day!


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

How long have you had them?

It maybe that they need time to settle into their "new home" ...


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