corinnesonja
In the Brooder
First time poster/new chicken mom here!
Need some advice, I’ve exhausted all options…
I have three hens. Purchased as pullets in March (they said they were 12 weeks, but I believe it to be younger). Only one is laying eggs (has been since early-mid August) and this week has stopped laying all together. The other two never started to lay.
I would love any and all advice on how to get my girls to start laying! And figure out why one stopped laying suddenly. They are not acting sick or lethargic, they look great. I’m at a loss!
Need some advice, I’ve exhausted all options…
I have three hens. Purchased as pullets in March (they said they were 12 weeks, but I believe it to be younger). Only one is laying eggs (has been since early-mid August) and this week has stopped laying all together. The other two never started to lay.
- WATER- two water sources, cleaned/filled daily.
- COOP- coop is large enough for six hens. There is a nesting box. Exterior enclosed area is about a 12 x 12 space, maybe smaller.
- They get to roam in the yard on the weekends and one hour of supervised play in the evenings (that is getting less and less frequent as we lose daylight). I say supervised because I live in the mountains and there are predators. I only let them out in the late afternoon if I/or dog is around.
- There is no way for a predator to get in the coop itself so eggs are not being stolen.
- Coop is cleaned every seven days.
- FOOD- chicken feed is 75% of food. Same brand I have been feeding them since day one, purchased from feed store (don’t know brand). Mealworms (a small handful every other day). Chicken scratch daily, just a little on top of food. Oyster shells. Food scraps- fruits, veggies, egg shells, etc.
- Last week, shortly before the one laying hen stopped laying, I took the advice of a friend and stopped the scratch all together and switched to laying pellets. This was in an effort to get the other two to start laying. They don't love the pellets.
- They eat their food outside in the enclosed coop on a ‘chicknic table’.
- PERSONALITY- they seem really happy! They are very vocal and love attention. They get along well with the dog and even let me pick them up from time to time. They are great fun and I love their personalities.
- SIZE- they all look full grown to me. One is slightly smaller than the other two, but by a hair.
I would love any and all advice on how to get my girls to start laying! And figure out why one stopped laying suddenly. They are not acting sick or lethargic, they look great. I’m at a loss!