Kitchen Garden Forum

We are currently looking after a friends 14 chickens-they are various varities (don't ask me what; but 2 look like they are wearing bloomers!)
Since Saturday we have only collected 8 eggs-now call me daft; but that sounds like too few?
Has anyone any ideas?
They all look happy!
Jo n Pegs

If they are free range they may have found a nice grassy tussock out of sight to do to do the business. Have a good scout around in and around bushes etc they may have found somewhere nicer than the provided nest box. If you do find any eggs discard them as you wont know how old or fertile they were. Most hens raised for eggs generally lay 4 eggs every 5 days so there should be a big pile somewhere. You can usually tell when a hen is in lay as the comb on it's head is a distinct pinky red colour, if it looks greyish then it's not laying. You could also have predators nipping in for a takeaway, crows can do this and also a bit of cannilabism can take place, but that would be indicated by yolks soaked into the bedding, there would be no shells as that is the first thing the hens would eat to supplement there grit intake especially if there is no other source of grit

thank you arthur
im off to look now-they are free range!
jo n pegs

Another predator is the two legged greater spotty asbo twerp.

Maybe they aren't all laying anyway. Perhaps some are too old or too young? Do you know how many eggs they were laying before you started to look after them?

Hello Diane and Arthur
Dh went this evening and there were 5 eggs
Before my friend went away she said they were laying well!?
There's an electric fence around the edge so i doubt it's thieves! perhaps birds though!
Thanks for your replies i'm not really very knowledgable on chickens as you may have noticed!
jo n lily

once caught four magpies rolling eggs out of the hen shed with one on guard at the door,watched them for a while out of astonishment, its amazing what a hung pirate does to deter future insurgencies.