almost yr old chickens and no eggs

[sammileah]

I have 6 hens, 1 RI red and 5 barred rocks. they are almost a yr old (last springs chicks) and have never layed an egg. have boxes, are fed layer feed, had light on them all winter, not molting. i'm clueless. my MIL has hens from same batch have been laying since Nov. any suggestions. they also get kitchen scraps and oster shells.

 

[kezabel]

thats weird I cant help sorry but someone will come along soon I hope, good luck finding out why

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

No sign of a single egg? That seems crazy to me at a year old, are they free ranging? If so, I would guarantee that you've got hidden nests all over the place with eggs in them.

 

[gallina man]

are they out freeranging or is someone stealing them seen threds on here people stealing eggs or girls might have nest somewhere

 

[Andi]

Yes, my thought first was that they are well hidden. The first of my girls to start laying had her eggs in a thicket of weeds and the only reason I found the nest was that I saw out of the corner of my eye when she turned her head while on the nest and I saw movement, which made me look in that direction. All I could see of her was her face. Amazingly well hidden!

My second thought was about the hours of lighting each day. Is it consistent and at least 12 hours per day? If its not consistent it could throw them off, from what I understand.

The last thing that comes to mind is diet. Its good that they are getting calcium, but if they aren't getting enough protein it'll effect egg production as well. In the wild chickens would be digging up and eating a fair amount of bugs all day long.

Best of luck!

 

[Andi]

The kitchen scrap are a nice treat, but its the layer feed that is balanced nutrition. Table scraps, if all veggies and fruit will lower the daily protein intake because they won't be eating as much layer feed.

 

[sammileah]

4 of them are caged 2 excape daily I've searched pen and hen house not even a trace. they get both scrapes and layer feed. more feed then scrapes and at dif times. feed is 1st in morning scrapes are afternoon. light now might be an issue since it got warm enough not to need water heater but over winter it was in 24/7. I'm at a loss. I think I'll up feed anyway. what can it hurt

 

[sammileah]

so a week has gone by upped there feed to a point that there is leftovers at end of day. borrowed a roo my mil's idea 'maybe they need laid to lay'. still nada. Roo is only interested in 1 hen, but nothing like my old roo and my buff mut hens (sigh i miss them). and i've searched my whole yard its not that big. maybe they are just destined for the freezer. figures i had meat chickens that laid, but laying hens that don't.
thanks all for the help.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

You could check the vent to see if they are laying. It would be a bit larger and moist looking. There is also a chance that you have egg eaters. You could also try putting some artificial eggs (wood, filled plastic, glass, ceramic, golf balls, etc) to see if that will draw them to the nest boxes, just in case they are hiding nests somewhere.

 

[sammileah]

i had plastic easter eggs in boxes till my darling son on easter found them he was excited.

thanks fir the vent tip didn't even think of that. if i hadn't had them since chicks i'd think i was lied to about age.

someone brought up egg stealers. unless it isn't human doing it. i can't see it being the problem. 1 i'm home most of the time, 2 neighbor has chickens an easier hen house door and he hs all his eggs, 3 my hen house door is broken easy to open very hard to shut and latch. but that could be me thinking "it could never happen to us" type a thing