37 Hens + 21 Roos = NO EGGS!!

[aliciaford]

12 hens/roos are 19 weeks, rest are 17 weeks and we still have no eggs. I know everyone tells me not til after 20 weeks, but my friends bought 25 of my day olds and they are both getting eggs for two weeks already and I am not.

I am sure that it is because of the Roos keeping them "busy". Lots of that going on but still no eggs.

Our plan was to put 20 roosters in the freezer this weekend, will that solve my problem? Hens do seem stressed... My barred rock and aracauna hens hide in the nesting boxes all day and I have noticed them making holes in the shavings and laying in it, maybe it will happen soon....

 

[Lea71]

Yep....eat some of those roos!

 

[cooliseo]

You have 21 roo's!? Uhhmm. I think your problem is the roosters are too busy fighting and not enough breeding. But, I don't understand why they wouldn't be laying eggs. Maybe the hens are stressed because of so many roosters??? I don't know for sure though. Hope I helped?

Amy.

 

[jenichick]

yep too many Roo's we had 8 and hen's started eating the egss, getting stressed, we only have 1 now and life is peaceful for the girls once again!

 

[serendipity22]

The proper ratio of rooster to hen is 1 to 6 or even 12. So for every one rooster, you need 6 to 12 hens and PLENTY of room. Maybe a Bachelor Pen for the excess roos is in order. If the hens are that stressed, it will definitely affect the egg production.

Also, make sure that they are eating a good diet. Do they have plenty of Layer Pellets and Oyster Shell? Scratch does not have the protein that a laying hen needs. Maybe add some Black Oil Sunflower Seeds to their diet a couple of times a week. And water is essential. If they run out of water, a hen will not lay.

Good Luck, maybe you'll be getting some eggs soon.

 

[aliciaford]

Roos are not fighting much, 2 barred rock roos are in charge. We have 7 bantam and ornamentals that we keep seperated, the 2 black bantam frizzles were mean to the 2 white frizzle hens so we put them in with the general population, now the bantys rule the roost! Its so funny...