Easter Egger not Laying

[HisKoolGurl]

I have a 10 month old Easter Egger and we haven't seen 1 egg yet! I bought 5 baby chicks last spring and they all died except her and one rooster. That's my entire flock and I'm wondering if she's not laying because she's lonely? Maybe I'm not feeding her the right food? She has a cage with a nesting box, but doesn't like to use it. She sleeps behind some boards in our backyard. I feel like a bad chicken owner...

 

[naivetefarm]

Are you positive that she's not just hiding them in a nest she's made for herself somewhere? It sounds like she's completely free to roam where ever she likes, is that correct? It's possible that she's found a nice spot to lay that you might not know about... it may be time for an "easter egg hunt"

What's the weather like where you are? If it's winter there and she would have come to maturation during that time (anywhere between 6-8 months), it's possible that she might not lay in earnest until spring. I've heard that sometimes it can take up to a year for some chickens to lay, so I wouldn't give up hope, yet!

 

[HisKoolGurl]

Yes, I've looked all over and her favorite spot is behind these old wooden boards and she lays there every night but no eggs. I've tried roaming the backyard and haven't found anything either. I got her when she was really young in April 2015, so she's not a young chicken anymore. Is there certain food I should give her maybe?

 

[junebuggena]

Yes, I've looked all over and her favorite spot is behind these old wooden boards and she lays there every night but no eggs. I've tried roaming the backyard and haven't found anything either. I got her when she was really young in April 2015, so she's not a young chicken anymore. Is there certain food I should give her maybe?

What are you feeding? Is she housed with the boy? Does he chase her around a lot to mate her?

 

[Blooie]

Easter Eggers are not known for being prolific layers in the winter to start with, and she was pretty young when those short days and long nights started. Be patient - spring is coming! I can't make out from your post whether you have a coop for your chickens or not but it doesnt' sound like it. A coop will go a long way toward protecting your birds from the elements, as well as give her a place to lay that she knows is safe. I'm not sure what you mean when you say they have a "cage". If it's truly a cage (and here photos would help us help you tremendously) then that's not the best housing for them to say the least.

 

[junebuggena]

I have a 10 month old Easter Egger and we haven't seen 1 egg yet! I bought 5 baby chicks last spring and they all died except her and one rooster. That's my entire flock and I'm wondering if she's not laying because she's lonely? Maybe I'm not feeding her the right food? She has a cage with a nesting box, but doesn't like to use it. She sleeps behind some boards in our backyard. I feel like a bad chicken owner...

Nesting boxes are for laying eggs in, not sleeping in. Does her coop have roosts? Does she sleep out in the open? If so, it's only a matter of time till a predator finds her.

 

[naivetefarm]

@HisKoolGurl - If she doesn't have a coop and is laying elsewhere, other critters may be getting to them before you do, too. Possums, rats, snakes, and more think eggs are tasty treats! My guess, though, is that she's not laying due to winter and fewer daylight hours. I would see if you can find someplace predator-proof for her to sleep. That might make her feel a little more cozy and protected - sometimes stress can prevent laying.

As far as the food - what are you feeding her now?

 

[HisKoolGurl]

We have a coop but it's pretty small. It's two levels and has a nesting box but they hate being in there. We live in the city so the only predators we have are cats and the rooster chases them away. My local feed sold me chicken scratch and that's what I've been giving them, plus we give them safe left overs but I've heard chicken scratch is more like candy and not nutrients so I'm going to buy something else. I've never seen the rooster chase her or mate with her. He's a silkie and is smaller than her and they get along great, not sure why he hasn't found her attractive yet.

 

[junebuggena]

We have a coop but it's pretty small. It's two levels and has a nesting box but they hate being in there. We live in the city so the only predators we have are cats and the rooster chases them away. My local feed sold me chicken scratch and that's what I've been giving them, plus we give them safe left overs but I've heard chicken scratch is more like candy and not nutrients so I'm going to buy something else. I've never seen the rooster chase her or mate with her. He's a silkie and is smaller than her and they get along great, not sure why he hasn't found her attractive yet.

Their development may be stunted by poor nutrition. Scratch isn't exactly candy, but it isn't a proper feed either. It's only about 8% protein. For proper growth and development a chicken needs about 18% for the first 16 to 20 weeks.
You may be in the city, but even cities have predators. Raccoons, coyotes, possums, and owls live in just about every urban city environment in the U.S.

 

[naivetefarm]

@hiskoolgurl. You will definitely want to get her on some layer feed. She needs calcium to produce healthy eggs. She can have a mixed-flock feed or meat-bird feed with higher protein if you supplement with oyster shells or another form of calcium. Definitely get her on to something other than the scratch grains (she can still have a little of this each day). I highly recommend a layer feed.