Coop is done, pullets in, eggs no where to be seen

[hogster160]

We finished our coop 3 weeks ago, added the pullets. Its a 8x12 with a divider for two sets of pullets. The small girls( 6- 16 week pullets, 3 ee and 3 white chickens not sure what they are) get 4x8 and the big girls (9- 20 weeks pullets, 5 ba, 2 ee, 2 blrw) get 8x8. We locked all the girls in the coop for a week, nesting boxes were not up yet. Well on the big girls side on day 8 we let them outside to free range, and we found 2 eggs on the floor. The first one was found around noon, was very cold, the other was found 3 hours later and was warm. We put up nesting boxes the same day we found both eggs. Since then nothing from the big girls, its been 2 weeks since those 2 eggs were laid. I believe it was my ee that laid the eggs, both were small and olive green. The small girls, I have had 2 start laying, they use the boxes, they laid a couple days in a row, then a day off and started again.

I'm new to chickens, and am not sure about my big girls. Several of the big girls have red combs, wattles and faces, they do the whole squat thing when I go near them. Now some of the big girls were red, and have since gone a little paler. All are out free ranging during the day. Are those that have gone paler, laying now? And if they are not laying in the boxes where should I look? I do a yard check every day. Their yard is 40'x120' pretty open space. And if they are not laying yet, why would the combs and wattles be red then go pale?

All the pullets are eating FF with Nutrena starter/grower. That will be changed to layer after this bag is gone. They also have grit and oyster shell available in separate containers. Plus they free range all day from 7am to 830 pm when they put themselves to bed. All are foraging, acting normal, pooping normal. They are all let out to fr in the same large area, with plenty of hiding spots for the lil gals. They are still learning that the big girls rule. Crops are full at night and empty in the morning. They only treats they get are those that come out of the compost, and on occasion I put scratch on the compost to get their interest. No real food added to the compost for a couple of months. Once they are all close to the same size I am planning on removing the divider in the coop.

Help, I am one confused chicken mama!
Thanks!
Deb

 

[Judy]

I imagine they are hiding the eggs, or a skunk or whatever is eating them, but I would bet on hiding. They can be HARD to find.

I hate to see chickens locked up, but you may have to do that again, for a few days at least, for them to really learn where they are supposed to lay. Even my 4 year olds recently and suddenly decided to start laying in their large yard; it took us a few weeks to catch on and find them; this is about a 70' X 70' yard, with hiding places. One thing you could try is leaving them locked up til mid morning or so, if someone is there to let them out. They won't all lay early in the day, but usually some will, so at least some may get the idea.

The going pale after being red is a bit confusing. It's possible they were stressed with something, which can interrupt laying. Maybe a dog barks outside their area at night, something of the sort; it may not take much. I'm assuming you have some hay or other litter in the nests? What about fake eggs? Many people use cheap golf balls or sand filled plastic easter eggs. It seems to send them the message that this is a good place to lay.

Since they are all fairly new to laying, things can be a bit odd for a month or so, anyway. It seems to take them a while to get used to the process of popping out a hard round thing nearly every day.

Good luck!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers/0_20

 

[hogster160]

Thanks so much for your reply. I do have wood shavings in the nesting boxes and have 2-3 golf balls in each of the 6 boxes 4 in the big girls area and 2 in the small girls area. We do have skunks in the area. Their area is fenced in with 6' chain link around 1/2 of their run and 4' high with the rest.

I do have another question now tho. About 2 weeks ago, I went to my neighbors home. She across the road and 1/2 a mile down. She has chickens. I needed to get some of her old composted chicken poo for my uncle, per his request lol. I wore an old pair of shoes that since have been tossed. On that container of old composted chicken poo, I noticed red mites. Could these be on my chickens now? I didn't go anywhere near her coup area. Just out back in the field where they dump all the poop and bedding. Are these types of mites the same that get on chickens?

My closest neighbor has young turkeys. 8 of them in a small 4x6 shed probably 12 weeks old or so. IMHO way too small. He keeps them locked up at night and in a run (20x60) during the day. Several days now I have noticed some bleeding on his turkeys head. I'm guessing they are pecking each other at night as they seem to leave each other alone during the day. Could their fighting at night be whats upsetting my pullets?