snoozing chooks

[fen not fen]

Sometimes when I check my POL hens during the day, one or two are apparently snoozing in the hut. Is this normal or is it a symptom of some horrible disease? Also when they lay a decent sized egg they are all double yolked - is this a blip or will they carry on laying them?

[Jude]

Dear fen not fen,
don't know a damn thing about chickens, but if I'd gone to all the effort of laying a double yolker I think I'd need a snooze.

[vivie veg]

Hi,

I don't know about chickens but my POL ducks did the same last year, I occassionally got the double yolks in the first few weeks, but they soon settle down to single yolks (I once had an aylesbury duck that layed a double yolk and it was huge!) and the ducks like to snooze during the day, especially if they have a full crop and it's sunny....wouldn't we all like to!

Vivianne.

[Sue]

It's normal behavour Fen not Fen, so don't be worried. Mine have been snoozing indoors this week while there have been cold winds, but have reverted to their usual spot in the sun today.

You'll notice them settle into a routine after a week or two. Mine get up, scratch about and get a crop full of food on board, then it's preening time, followed by more food, afternoon dust bath bliss out\nap\preen, stand on the hen house roof for a bit and watch the world go by and then fill up again before bed. Tough life eh ?

The first eggs are usually smallish and get larger as they mature, but when they get their timing wrong they can produce very large double yolkers. Mine tend to march up and down the run crowing to announce eggs, but the youngers really make a song and dance of it the first few they lay - guess it's some odd chicken coming of age thing

Sue

[fen not fen]

Thanks for the reassurance - the last few days have been (relatively) warmer and all the hens seem to be outside most of the time during the day.