Chickens, eggs, and earthquakes. ..

[Warm_in_NH]

Wondering if anyone has any experience with laying hens and their production if you've had an earthquake.

We've got a dozen birds, they usually produce a dozen eggs a day (this is their 3rd spring).

They went through a molt this winter at the solstice, came out of it and were up to about 6-8 eggs a day, then we started getting small daily earthquakes, at the same time they stopped laying again.

Earthquakes lasted a couple weeks (odd, you can Google CT quakes) last one was a few weeks ago. Chix started laying slowly again last week, up to 6 eggs yesterday, earthquake this morning, no eggs again.

Ideas, insight, past experiences?

 

[DickRussell]

Geez, chickens on strike cause earthquakes? California ought to keep their chickens happier.

Well, I googled on "chicken egg laying and earthquakes" and got almost 20 million hits (your post was fifth in the list!). There is this one: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/11/1111_031111_earthquakeanimals.html

It seems there is a lot of anecdotal suspicion that animals can sense earthquakes before we humans can and modify their behavior accordingly, but no real confirmation.

 

[Bret Chase]

I'd be happy w 6-8 eggs a day. mine have stopped laying at all during this cold snap.

 

[firefighterjake]

Time for chicken pot pies!

 

[Bret Chase]

Time for chicken pot pies!

nah... they're putting all their energy into staying warm.

 

[homebrewz]

Several things can affect egg production including age, amount of daylight (seasons), and (perhaps) the presence of roosters.

Aside from that, I can only offer my anecdotal observations. We are down to four hens that will be three years old this spring and even when they were younger, they lay less in the colder months. Right now they hardly lay at all, but as the days are getting longer we are seeing a slight increase in eggs.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

It could be the colder than normal February, could be the 30" of snow that's still on the ground, could be that they're getting up on age (last batch slowed down in yr. 3).

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Ground-Shakes-Again-in-Plainfield-Police-288517821.html#

May be coincidence with the earthquakes. As I look back at the dates of the quakes, it's when they were coming out of their molt and starting to lay again but also the same time the real cold and snow showed up. Hard to remember now, but it was pretty mild until mid/end of January this year.

3 eggs yesterday, no quake for a few days but it's probably a few days at or above freezing with some sun that is making the difference for them.

Another month will tell us whether we'll be eating omelets or pot pies....

 

[Bret Chase]

Another month will tell us whether we'll be eating omelets or pot pies....

old hen is much better suited to stew than pot pie.... cooking a pot pie low 'n slow enough to tenderize a tough old bird will just gain you a lousy crust. (I like crust)

 

[sloeffle]

At three years they are pretty much getting to the end of when they stop laying. This does depend on the type of bird that you have. A white leghorn or golden comet ( both hybrids ) probably won't lay as long as a rhode island red of barred rock. You would need do some googling but after they molt they generally will only lay for a little ( 1 year maybe ) longer.

As the others pointed out. Light is the biggest reason that you get less eggs. I know some folks who supplement light during the winter to keep their egg production going. We have 18 hens and during the summer we usually get around 15 eggs or so a day. During the winter we are lucky to get 6. The cold weather doesn't help either IMHO.

I would also get some chicks ASAP if you are wanting to keep getting eggs. We just got 29 chicks last week from a local hatchery.

 

[Jags]

old hen is much better suited to stew than pot pie.... cooking a pot pie low 'n slow enough to tenderize a tough old bird will just gain you a lousy crust. (I like crust)

Cook down the hens first, then make the filling, then bake. Works good and the old hens actually have more "chicken" flavor than the younger ones.

Try coq au vin (chicken in wine). Mmmmmmm.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-with-wine-coq-au-vin-recipe.html

 

[kniffin50]

I can't help you with the quakes but I know the girls puckered up after lightning struck the coop a few yrs. ago.Took them a few days to take the cork out.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Well. In my haste, I introduced another variable, light, started opening the man door on the coop that faces the sun, every day. Also happens to be a week since the last earthquake.

Either way, they must've been about to burst, 2 dozen eggs in two days!

Looks like it's gonna be omelets.

 

[Swedishchef]

Works good and the old hens actually have more "chicken" flavor than the younger ones.

My wife read that comment and wasn't sure if you were talking about her or not Jags...

Andrew

 

[Jags]

My wife read that comment and wasn't sure if you were talking about her or not Jags...

Andrew

For the record...I do not condone boiling your wife in wine.

 

[Swedishchef]

lol :D

 

[BrotherBart]

For the record...I do not condone boiling your wife in wine.

Now you tell me. Too late!!

 

[Jags]

Well...at least she should have been nice and tender.