I have a ~3 year old Australorp and two 2 year old barred rocks. Two of the best egg layers in the world. Normally we get so many eggs I'm desperately giving them away. They slowed down in winter but still enough that we could fill a carton in 4 to 5 days. Then a couple things happened.
First, my wife and I forgot to check the nests for two days (we each thought the other one had) so about 6 eggs in the nesting box. Because of the cold one broke and the yoke froze. It kinda looked like bites had been taken out of it, but could have been one of them stepped in it. I know it's bad if one of them learns their eggs are yummy. I keep looking around everywhere in the coop and run and can't find any evidence of eggs or parts of eggs and can't find anything. Even if one was, at some point I'd get lucky and find something.
Second, I had 3 barred rocks at the start of winter. One started molting late. I don't know if she was unwell or just didn't molt on time. I did everything I could for her. I did a lot of reading up on helping her, but she passed. The other girls didn't act depressed or even seem to notice. I think by then they'd all stopped anyway before that.
Lastly, there are two nesting boxes and it seemed at one point they decided one was a toilet. That behavior has seemed to stop now.
I live in southern Indiana and we've had a good number of snows and cold weather, but I weatherized the coop and tried to keep them as comfortable as possible. Last winter got a lot colder and they were fine. The only other thing that changed was this year two of them would go broody every so often. I've never had that before.
We've had a good number of warmer days now and my wife found one egg. Nothing in their diet changed. We give them veggies and stuff. I make them plain warm oatmeal mixed with scratch and millworms on really cold days.
Yesterday I cleaned out the coop for spring and put new nesting material in. I can see evidence where someone has sat in it but no eggs. Sorry for the long post, I just want to provide as much info as possible. Any and all advise is appreciated.
First, my wife and I forgot to check the nests for two days (we each thought the other one had) so about 6 eggs in the nesting box. Because of the cold one broke and the yoke froze. It kinda looked like bites had been taken out of it, but could have been one of them stepped in it. I know it's bad if one of them learns their eggs are yummy. I keep looking around everywhere in the coop and run and can't find any evidence of eggs or parts of eggs and can't find anything. Even if one was, at some point I'd get lucky and find something.
Second, I had 3 barred rocks at the start of winter. One started molting late. I don't know if she was unwell or just didn't molt on time. I did everything I could for her. I did a lot of reading up on helping her, but she passed. The other girls didn't act depressed or even seem to notice. I think by then they'd all stopped anyway before that.
Lastly, there are two nesting boxes and it seemed at one point they decided one was a toilet. That behavior has seemed to stop now.
I live in southern Indiana and we've had a good number of snows and cold weather, but I weatherized the coop and tried to keep them as comfortable as possible. Last winter got a lot colder and they were fine. The only other thing that changed was this year two of them would go broody every so often. I've never had that before.
We've had a good number of warmer days now and my wife found one egg. Nothing in their diet changed. We give them veggies and stuff. I make them plain warm oatmeal mixed with scratch and millworms on really cold days.
Yesterday I cleaned out the coop for spring and put new nesting material in. I can see evidence where someone has sat in it but no eggs. Sorry for the long post, I just want to provide as much info as possible. Any and all advise is appreciated.
