I hatched eggs from my own chickens for the first time this year. They were all sired by my EE roo and out of EE, Cuckoo Marans, White Leghorn, and Golden Comet hens. They hatched on February 9, and I bought a few more pullets (SLW, GLW, EE, and Australorp) from the local feed store the next day to fill out the ranks.
Normally, I buy chicks in mid-March or April, and they're laying by August or September, but nine months later, I haven't seen an egg out of any of these girls. My older hens are molting, and I had been counting on the fact that the new ones should be laying by now. They were housed separately till very recently, so I knew that only the older girls were laying (prior to molting).
I'm checking the nests many times a day, but have yet to find an egg, a pullet in a nest, or any sign that an egg was laid and eaten. They were on grower/finisher till about 6 months of age, and now they're eating regular 16% layer ration (and lots of it, of course!).
I expected the EEs and EE crosses to start a little later, but even for them, 41 weeks seems like a long time, and it's ridiculously long for the breeds from the feed store. I've just never had a situation like this in many years of keeping chickens, and right now I'm tempted to cull them all and start fresh in the spring rather than pay to feed them through the winter with no return.
Any thoughts on what I might be able to do to get them going? Or should I cut my losses and start with a new flock next year?
Normally, I buy chicks in mid-March or April, and they're laying by August or September, but nine months later, I haven't seen an egg out of any of these girls. My older hens are molting, and I had been counting on the fact that the new ones should be laying by now. They were housed separately till very recently, so I knew that only the older girls were laying (prior to molting).
I'm checking the nests many times a day, but have yet to find an egg, a pullet in a nest, or any sign that an egg was laid and eaten. They were on grower/finisher till about 6 months of age, and now they're eating regular 16% layer ration (and lots of it, of course!).
I expected the EEs and EE crosses to start a little later, but even for them, 41 weeks seems like a long time, and it's ridiculously long for the breeds from the feed store. I've just never had a situation like this in many years of keeping chickens, and right now I'm tempted to cull them all and start fresh in the spring rather than pay to feed them through the winter with no return.
Any thoughts on what I might be able to do to get them going? Or should I cut my losses and start with a new flock next year?
