Chickens not laying

[donrae]

If you were free ranging, sounds like they were hiding eggs somewhere. Try keeping them confined for a few days and get them back in the habit of laying in the nest box.

 

[Shawnna R]

They have not been wormed, and we have no signs of mites or lice....these are cuddled chickens....so any bugs would be seen while they are being snuggled...and my daughter does a pretty thorough check over her birds (shes 15 and the one who started this thread!)...especially when things don't seem to be right with them. Wouldn't we see worms in their droppings? I've checked, and there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, just regular stool from them. I hate to give them something they don't need as far as medication goes. I do know that our new girls are giving us an egg every day...it's last years batch that are not producing...

 

[Bullitt]

In the previous post I thought you or your daughter stated that the egg production had increased again. Is that correct?

 

[Shawnna R]

I think the boost the last few days has been the little girls have started laying this week!! I have had their tiny eggs for three days in a row. SO, out of our 20 hens, (Kristin neglected to say we have a rooster in those 21), we have four new ones that are laying daily now....and I had 9 eggs today, and 18 total for Sat and Sunday...taking out the 12 tiny eggs from our new layers, and leaves 15 eggs for three days from 12 hens that should be laying from last years new pullets. That's only 5 per day from 12 hens. That seems a bit low to me? We do have three old hens that are about 4 yrs old (Kristin's original's that are special to her and will be here until they die!)

 

[Mehjr10]

Depending where you are located, they probably will have some worms some areas are more prone to worms in the dirt than others. You usually do not see them in the droppings until they are really overloaded.


I worm mine twice a year, and after worming we will then see worms passed.

 

[Shawnna R]

Worming is something we've never done...but we've never had this many girls before either. PLUS we're getting used to having a "man" in the coop!! What do you use to worm your flock, and is it easy?

 

[Bullitt]

That's only 5 per day from 12 hens. That seems a bit low to me?

You mentioned before that you have "Rhode Island Reds, Light and Dark Brahma's, golden and black sex links, buff Orpingtons, Australorps and a few silver laced wyandottes."

Those are all good breeds for laying with some better than others. But none of them will lay an egg a day for 365 days. 5 eggs a day from 12 hens is not great, but it is also not horrible.

There are many things that can change laying behavior, from illness to being scared by an animal like a raccoon or something. And as I mentioned, hens at about 16 to 18 months often go through their first adult molt. Sometimes you can barely notice any feather loss.

 

[Shawnna R]

Thanks Bullitt--I will see how things go. Previous molts on our older girls (we used to have Rhode Island Reds only), seemed to go fairly quick...and they are every day (or nearly) layers...so maybe I'm just expecting too much

 

[Mehjr10]

I use valbezan goat wormer it will kill all worms. Dosed at .01ml per pound or to make it easy .5 ml for a standard bird, .25 ml for a banties, my big roos I will give .75ml . Given orally. With a follow up dose 10 days later. How I do it is get a helper to work the syringe a 3 Ml syringe works well .. I will pick them up off the roost, hold them under the arm and open their mouth. Then the helper squirts in the .5ml, then that one goes into the run, until all are done.

You can also use Zimectrin Gold Horse pastes. About a Pea size piece given to each bird..

or Safeguard goat wormer - this one does not kill all worm types..

Don't waste you time or money with the Wazine, It will only kill roundworms.

The follow up is very important.

I can't find the post but search for worming with Valbezan. Take note of the post by Dawg.

Any other questions just ask

 

[Bullitt]

Thanks Bullitt--I will see how things go. Previous molts on our older girls (we used to have Rhode Island Reds only), seemed to go fairly quick...and they are every day (or nearly) layers...so maybe I'm just expecting too much

You probably had hatchery Rhode Island Reds or production reds. They are bred to lay steady throughout the year, have short molting periods, and not go broody. Your sex links should produce about the same number of eggs as those.

Have you tried White Leghorns or White Leghorn hybrids? They lay about 300 white eggs a year.