Advice?

[kitty22496]

I have 1 black sex link hen who is 42 weeks old.
Also I have 2 EE hens who are both 39-40 weeks and a leghorn hen who is around 39-42 weeks.
My sex link has been "squating" for 4-5 weeks and my EE have been for around 3 weeks. My leghorn hen was given to me and she had layed an egg once, before I recivied her. I've had her 4 weeks.

Non of my ladies have layed any eggs.
I have boxes with fresh woods chips they 1 1/2 feet off the ground.
They get purinas laying crumble with crushed oyster shells. Also a Handful of grit every other day.
They also get fresh lettuce, tomatoe(not the leaves), fruit and veggies even some yogurt (as a rare treat)...
They are kept in a XXL dog kennel with wooden roosts and shade. They have two different water things.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Pork Pie]

What are the dimensions of their coop? Rule of thumb (minimum) is 4sqft per bird in the coop (excluding nest boxes), and 10sqft per bird in the run. Stress, caused by insufficient space can subdue laying.

Do you let them out to free range at all (if so, at what time of the day, typically)? If so, maybe they are laying elsewhere?

ETA - My questions relate more to your leghorn that you know has already laid, rather than your other girls (the same would apply, once you know that they are laying)

 

[kitty22496]

What are the dimensions of their coop? Rule of thumb (minimum) is 4sqft per bird in the coop (excluding nest boxes), and 10sqft per bird in the run. Stress, caused by insufficient space can subdue laying.

Do you let them out to free range at all (if so, at what time of the day, typically)? If so, maybe they are laying elsewhere? 

ETA - My questions relate more to your leghorn that you know has already laid, rather than your other girls (the same would apply, once you know that they are laying)

The kennel is a 10x10 ft. (Square and is 8 feet tall)
They have multiple wooden roosting areas at different hights. I currently have 2 laying boxes because I didn't want to get more if they aren't gonna lay.
I have a third one just no set up yet.

 

[Pork Pie]

The kennel is a 10x10 ft. (Square and is 8 feet tall)
They have multiple wooden roosting areas at different hights. I currently have 2 laying boxes because I didn't want to get more if they aren't gonna lay.
I have a third one just no set up yet.

Well, space is certainly not an issue, which is good. 2 nesting boxes will be fine. Even when they do begin to lay, you bet your bottom dollar they will fight over one particular nest

Its a bit of a stab in the dark, to be honest, but maybe minimise or omit altogether the additional food, i.e. just let them eat the layers food for a week or so and see how it goes.

It may be just a waiting game

 

[kitty22496]

Well, space is certainly not an issue, which is good. 2 nesting boxes will be fine. Even when they do begin to lay, you bet your bottom dollar they will fight over one particular nest 

Its a bit of a stab in the dark, to be honest, but maybe minimise or omit altogether the additional food, i.e. just let them eat the layers food for a week or so and see how it goes. 

It may be just a waiting game :/

Should I get some laying mash ?
I have the crumble for laying hens but should I get a laying booster?
I also have a jersey gaint rooster who's been "tagging" two of my hens a lot for the last 2 weeks. He's just now at the age of being able to fertilize.

 

[Pork Pie]

Should I get some laying mash ?
I have the crumble for laying hens but should I get a laying booster?
I also have a jersey gaint rooster who's been "tagging" two of my hens a lot for the last 2 weeks. He's just now at the age of being able to fertilize.

I'd say that you are fine with the crumbles. Your little punk of a cockerel may be causing a bit of stress to the girls - they can be a real pain when they are young! If you are seeing signs of over breeding (feather loss on the back) then maybe try giving him a time-out from the girls for a few months. The suggested ratio for cocks to hens is 1:10. This is not always relevant as some boys seem to prefer certain ladies

but its worth keeping an eye on.

 

[kitty22496]

I'd say that you are fine with the crumbles. Your little punk of a cockerel may be causing a bit of stress to the girls - they can be a real pain when they are young! If you are seeing signs of over breeding (feather loss on the back) then maybe try giving him a time-out from the girls for a few months. The suggested ratio for cocks to hens is 1:10. This is not always relevant as some boys seem to prefer certain ladies  but its worth keeping an eye on.

He's not to bad on them. I might catch him doing it 4-6 times in a week. He prefers the sex link hen. But no feather loss or anything like that. I've only seen him tag a hen one time in the last 3 days.
He's more of a lazy boy lol

 

[Pork Pie]

He's not to bad on them. I might catch him doing it 4-6 times in a week. He prefers the sex link hen. But no feather loss or anything like that. I've only seen him tag a hen one time in the last 3 days.
He's more of a lazy boy lol

Thats ok then - I've got one exactly the same - poor thing needs "a boost" of some description

 

[aart]

So you have 4 pullets and 1 cockerel...any other birds?
Other than the leghorn, did you raise the others from day old chicks, so that you are sure about their ages?

 

[kitty22496]

So you have 4 pullets and 1 cockerel...any other birds?
Other than the leghorn, did you raise the others from day old chicks, so that you are sure about their ages?

I hand raised all the hens except the leghorn and jersey gaint.
The 2 EE and the sex link I got within a week of them being born.
I trust the guy who gave me the leghorn and the jersey gaint. He is kind of a neighbor and is really nice and always making sure I don't need anything.