Due to my total frustration with the extended part of the run being constantly wet we bought the only tarpaulin we could find locally which was blue and put it over the run extension.
That was eight days ago and until then Peaches and Barley had laid an egg every other day like clockwork. During the last eight days that the blue tarpaulin has been over the run laying had ceased with just one egg from Peaches half way through the eight day period.
I hated the lack of light in the run, the girls spent a lot less time in the newer part and egg laying had ceased. Time to go on line (Steve, I know what you are thinking!).
Yesterday the clear tarpaulin that I had ordered arrived and at lunch time today we changed the blue tarpaulin for the clear tarpaulin.
The run looks so much better with the clear tarpaulin over the top
The view from the original part of the run
The view from the extended part of the run
The run is a lot lighter and when I returned an hour later I found Barley missing on parade. I checked in the nest boxes just as she was standing over her warm egg.
Barley has just laid her egg
The light level makes such a difference as this is Barley’s first egg in eight days. An hour later I checked the nest boxes again and there was an egg from Peaches.
I am amazed at how much difference the light makes and I am so much happier now that we have changed the tarpaulin. Lesson learned and I will never use anything but clear in future.
On another note Topaz, who moulted first after her broody spell, has a lovely red comb and wattles and has been having a practice at laying for the last week. She goes into the nest box, twirls around, sits a while, then comes out shouting but there is no egg. She always did like to practice a lot. I think she really might start laying soon!
Maybe with more light in the run now Topaz may finally get started with laying some eggs. Watch this space!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Let there be light ! That is great news.
Amazing what a difference light makes.
I have noticed it is staying a little lighter each evening ,only by a minute or two but hopefully my two free loaders will start laying soon. Their combs are getting redder too.
I have two of eight laying and even them not over the last week. Roll on lighter days and more girls laying.
Lighter is definitely better – although the eggs would have been en route for the previous 25-ish hours. Two of my marans laid for a month, then stopped; one started again yesterday, but the other is still working to rule! No eggs from Dart for the past 6 days – I’m really hoping that she has stopped, just as the others are coming back into lay.
The girls are out in the newer part of the run much more now that it is lighter. The eggs would be on the way but it’s odd that there were no eggs for a week. I will have to see if there are eggs tomorrow to test it properly as they were laying every other day.
You are right though that they do take a break sometimes for no apparent reason. It’s good that the amazing Dart has timed her break with the others starting up again. Here is to lighter, longer days and more lovely eggs, but more so longer, better days for our girls (and us of course).