Dear 120 or so chickens living at the Bauernhof,
See that picture above? That is an egg. E-G-G. It is something you lay. It is why we bought you as a tiny two-day-old chick and give you life. It is why we feed you a very expensive organic feed. It is why we give you plenty of sunshine and grass and fresh water.
We move your house regularly so you can get area to roam. We lock you up at night so that no predators eat your little chicken bodies. Other thank hawks (and an occasional Ritter who forgets he isn't supposed to be interested in chicken), you have not a care in the world.
All we ask from you is that you LAY an egg. You don't even have to lay one every day. Every other day is fine by us. That is your one and only job in the world. We have no roosters. You don't even have to be available to be bred. Your life consists of sleeping, roosting, walking, eating bugs, sun-bathing in the grass, drinking all the water you want, and eating delicious feed.
Oh and up until three months ago it also meant laying eggs. You were all on the same page and doing great. You were laying about 90 of these little E-G-G's every single day.
And then you just STOPPED.
Now, to be fair, you aren't alone. Apparently all of our neighbor farmers are having the same issue with their chickens. It's something in the weather. Or something with the moon. Or something with the chicken gods. We don't know. We've tried whispering sweet nothings into your egg-mobile each night. We've tried petting you and feeding you more and begging you. You aren't too old. You are just ornery.
Today all 120 of you laid a grand total of seven eggs. Not Seventy.
S-E-V-E-N.
Are you kidding me? Our family eats 12 eggs a day. That isn't even feeding us. Forget all the people who buy eggs from us.
So dear chicken layers. Consider yourself warned. Start laying ... or else.
We know how to make meat chickens around here little missies. Stop strutting and get it together!
Sincerely,
The frustrated lady farmer at the Bauernhof
3 comments:
That's a sweet egg photo 😉
My hubby grew up on a farm & his mother raised chickens. The little missies are going through a molt. They’ll take 2-3 months off from laying but will start laying again after their molt. As with all of the other livestock, patience is a virtue...
If it is something to do with molting, maybe there is a molting supplement that adds more if what they require from diet to inhance nutrition during molting? Might speed them up feeling friskier.
I like fried chicken. I'll be there very soon.
Ox AB
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