Mine got real lazy about laying late in the summer too but they were all in different stages of molting, so I chalked it up to that. Talked to an old timer and he told me they just were not getting enough sunshine and to put a light in the coop. I did and boy howdy, got great results. Even though I was letting them free range daily, they simply did not get the required hours of sun they needed.

Mine are all laying great now and with all the cold weather, I've had on two heat lamps and a radiant heater in the coop. I keep one of the water cans by the heater to keep water available. Even so, every morning I carry fresh water out for them to insure they have plenty.

Recently, they were free ranging and one of my old Brown Leghorn hens, who had a propensity of flying over the fence into the backyard where the German Shepherds roam met her end. It was only a matter of time before it happened and we knew it. My female Shepherd, Roxie, was out and before I could snap my fingers, that dang hen jumped the fence and Roxie got her. My hubby went out, picked up the hen and smacked Roxie with the hen!!! Don't think he realized the hen was not totally dead, so after he chunked her over the fence, I went out and rung her neck. It was a mess but everything wants to kill a chicken.

Speaking of killing...my neighbor had four mallard duck chicks she got a while back. A few days back she text me and said she thought the hawk that had recently gotten two of her chickens got one of her ducks. Well....about two days later I let the dogs out that evening and remarked to my hubby..."There was some large bird in the backyard...could not see what it was but it was not a songbird."

Later that night the Germans were a total pain in the arse...we kept thinking they had a possum or something the way they were going in and out. Hubby got up the next morning to take out the garbage and said he thought there was a dead possum in the yard, which we did not find a surprise. What we did find surprising was it was a mallard duck! Pretty sure the neighbor's pet duck came home from a walk about and got confused on the yard where it landed. Oops...