Chickens not laying eggs?

[Sonflowerjoela]

Hello,
my chickens are 7 months old. They still are not laying eggs. They are Ameraucana chickens. I bought them from a local grower. I bought one of those chicken tractors at a yard sale. They have grown to be big chickens! Could it be they aren’t laying due to the tractor being too small? I have the tractor inside of a pen. Just so everyone knows we have built a chicken house. We will be putting them in that. If it ever stops raining so we can move it.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Can you post a photo of your tractor with the chickens?
What have you been feeding them?
And where in the world are you located? (Climate matters)

 

[nuthatched]

If you're in the N. Hemisphere If they didn't reach maturity before the daylight started getting shorter, they might not lay until spring.

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

I don’t have a recent one of the whole thing. I live in Arkansas. I’ve been feeding the dumor layer crumbles and 5 grain scratch by same company.

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

If you're in the N. Hemisphere If they didn't reach maturity before the daylight started getting shorter, they might not lay until spring.

okay. What age is maturity? I have to say I haven’t raised chickens from chicks before.

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

Here is a today photo.

 

[gtaus]

my chickens are 7 months old. They still are not laying eggs.

Well, I don't think you need to panic. Some breeds take longer to start laying than others. How many chickens do you have and are they all from the same batch?

And where in the world are you located?

It's always best to include your geographic location to your member icon. It helps others with their answers to your questions. Location matters.

dumper layer crumbles and 5 grain scratch by same company.

I don't know about this situation. I never start giving my chickens layer feed until after I see some eggs. I read somewhere that it is not advisable to feed layer feed to your chickens until they start laying. Maybe someone with more experience and knowledge could either back up that information or let us know it's not correct. In any case, at 7 months, you might be close enough to using layer feed anyways.

The other thought that comes to mind is that scratch should only be used as a treat, and in limited amounts. You might want to reduce or stop your scratch grains until the birds are laying. Just a thought. The commercial feed is well balanced and good for the chickens. Filling up on scratch grain doesn't help.

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

I only have 2 chickens. I had 3 and something got one. I plan to get more once new hen house is set up. I’m in Arkasas. I’d really like to know about layer pellets. Lady I got them from suggested these. I will lay off scratch. Thank you!

 

[gtaus]

I only have 2 chickens. I had 3 and something got one.

Something? Are you talking about a predator or illness? I know that sometimes stress on my flock can be induced by a neighborhood dog sniffing around the chicken run. Stressed out chickens can stop laying for a while, as I can see in reduction of eggs after such an incident. Might not be your problem, but a prowling predator is not going to help.

 

[gtaus]

I’d really like to know about layer pellets.

Seems to me that I had less waste when I used layer pellets compared to using layer crumble. But that might depend on your feeder, too. I think the ingredients are basically the same. pellets or crumble.

Again, I stayed with chick grower feed until I see some eggs, then I start with the layer feeds afterwards. That system has worked for me.