26 Hens given new lease on life

[Mandalina]

some of my girls just turned a year and arent laying much if at all, it is all the wonky weather's fault.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

The colder weather would reduce the number of eggs but with 26 layers and only 3 eggs, something more than cold weather is going on! My dog loves eggs, so having the dog & egg eater locked up you maybe will get more answers today. I know I have more than 1 egg eater so that could be possible as well, that more are eating the eggs than you thought!

I've got 15 layers and average 10-11 eggs a day, low day was 8. These were born in April 09.

 

[dancingbear]

Hens will lay when they're ready, if they're getting what they need, and not being pestered to death by too many randy young cockerels. If they aren't laying, it's because we've failed to provide something that they need. Just because we sometimes also fail to figure out what the problem is, doesn't mean it's the hens' fault.

Here's what I'd try, and has worked for me:

They could be too short on daylight. Put a light on a timer, to come on at about 4 am.

You might also increase the protein a tad. I do this by adding distiller's grain to the layer ration. You can also supplement the protein by adding dairy products, meat products, or a little dry dog or cat food. To avoid feeding them chicken in the pet food, you could buy a lamb meal and rice formula.

You didn't say if they were also getting scratch or other feed. Too much scratch grain or other treat will lower the overall protein in the total diet. What they were eating before? If they were on a lower protein pecentage, it may take a few weeks for them to start laying.

Do you have any roos? If so, how many? If you have too many roos, the hens may be stressed and harassed, that will definitely lower production.

Finally, they could just be laying where you won't find the eggs. I go through that a couple of times a year, everybody decides to lay eggs under a brush pile, or out in the woods somewhere, etc. They might be laying eggs outside in an unknown location(s). Try leaving them closed up in the coop until afternoon, (or for 2 or 3 days) so most of them will have already laid, if they're going to.

Sometimes, if you build some nice new nest boxes, they'll start using those instead of laying all over creation. They seem to be intrigued by new nesting arrangements, and they like them to be changed around now and then.

 

[Legs]

Are they eating the eggs? If so, you need to give them the calcium they need to stop doing that. (oyster shell) can be found at the co-ops in Minnesota.
Where is Norman County?

 

[chuckzoo]

Try the cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp / cup of feed. I tried it, my one hen had stopped laying while molting and although it had been several months she still wasn't laying. About two weeks after I did the red pepper thing she started laying again.

Now I can't say it was the red pepper, but it's worth a try.

Apparently also benificial for worms.

Chickens have no heat receptors so it will not burn them, so it's worth a shot.

 

[sparkles2307]

OK, wow thanks for all the responses!

We had them penned up till the 2 ft of snow melted in the yard. I turned them loose last Monday, so they have been out for 11 days now. I feed them a local brand and I dont remember the stats on the bag. It was the only kind the feed store had. They get protein supplemented in the sunflower seeds and wheat I give them every day, they also get a bit of ground corn. The temps have been in the upp34 30s to mid 40s every day and about 25 at night since last weekend. The moment I turned my ducks out I got eggs, the very next day. I got eggs the next day with my chooks too, last week, but only 2. The days are 13ish hours long right now. I am going to see what I find when I get home tonight. We have golf balls in the nest boxes and they like those. I will look for calcium in a few of the surrounding towns. Norman County is just north of Fargo and on the MN side of the border. I think I answered everyone's questions? Thanks again for the tips and advice!

Oh ETA we have 2 roosters and 26 hens.

 

[Legs]

The calcium is "oyster shells" thats what you want to buy if the hens/roos are eating the eggs. I watched in horror as my ladies ate those shells like it was cracked corn. LOL

 

[sparkles2307]

It appears that the dog is the biggest issue, because I kept her penned up yesterday and came home to 8 eggs!

 

[txliss]

I have 4 hens who all seem to "cycle" together. If one molts, they all molt, etc. Also, my birds all layed for 1 week, then molted for 3 weeks before laying again.

Anyway, the other things we've tried when ours go on strike, go broody, or whatever: DD reads the poultry slow cooking recipe book to them or leaves the axe leaning against the coop. Believe it or not, this has worked with all but my BO who goes broody every 3 months like clockwork.

Good luck!

 

[TeaKettleK]

Quote:

I thought leaving a 'real' egg in the laying box was a no-no b/c they'd be more likely to eat it... Is chicken-egg-eating only an issue if they are lacking in calcium?