I got 3 hens and 2 chicks in the spring...at that time only one hen was laying...she then stopped...the other hen started and the hen raising the 2 chicks started to lay...So I have been getting 2 eggs/day for a couple of months. One hen went "broody" but she finally went out, but is back again but not as bad as before. The other 2 hens are not laying at all either. The 2 younger chicks which are hens are almost old enough to start laying and like sitting double in the nesting boxes...
I went and bought more chicks...around 3 months old...2 hens, 1 rooster, and got another one which is younger and the sex is undetermined.
The older hens (1-1.5 yrs old) are no longer laying at all. They layed for a couple of days after the newbies came to live here...then stopped.
I feed them laying feed, put ACV in their water, keep the feeders separate to keep the "hey I was here first, get away kid, you're bugging me" attitude that the three older hens have. My Banties are eating "high on the hog" right now, since it is garden time and they get a lot of extra food.
But I'm not getting any eggs! I still play "Rock A'Bye Chickie" with them everyday. I am a hands on human. I keep on telling them that "Mommy wants/needs eggs...now lay!" The hens are within a confined area and I have checked and double checked to make sure that no-one is laying eggs and hiding them.
Is this "normal"? I know that Banties are not known for their massive egg laying sessions, but one to two eggs per day really makes the human happy.
So am I doing something wrong or is it the breed and the fact this didn't start until the newbies came to live here?
Any suggestions from those way more experienced than I am will be more than appreciated.
I went and bought more chicks...around 3 months old...2 hens, 1 rooster, and got another one which is younger and the sex is undetermined.
The older hens (1-1.5 yrs old) are no longer laying at all. They layed for a couple of days after the newbies came to live here...then stopped.
I feed them laying feed, put ACV in their water, keep the feeders separate to keep the "hey I was here first, get away kid, you're bugging me" attitude that the three older hens have. My Banties are eating "high on the hog" right now, since it is garden time and they get a lot of extra food.
But I'm not getting any eggs! I still play "Rock A'Bye Chickie" with them everyday. I am a hands on human. I keep on telling them that "Mommy wants/needs eggs...now lay!" The hens are within a confined area and I have checked and double checked to make sure that no-one is laying eggs and hiding them.
Is this "normal"? I know that Banties are not known for their massive egg laying sessions, but one to two eggs per day really makes the human happy.
So am I doing something wrong or is it the breed and the fact this didn't start until the newbies came to live here?
Any suggestions from those way more experienced than I am will be more than appreciated.
