Easter Eggers - no eggs

[flock mommasan]

I've got 2 Easter Eggers that stopped providing eggs a couple of months ago. They are one year old. One was obviously molting but now her feathers are back in (looking GOOD, darling!), but still no eggs. Both have light colored combs/waddles right now.

I have 6 hens total and get 2-4 eggs/day (all are brown -- so I know the EEs are not contributing).

My routine is in the morning to let the girls out for a bit to forage, if possible, then provide a small snack of carrot tops/carrots to get them back in the coop (sometimes they just get the snack and no forage time). Later in the day they may get out time again with a few mealworms to get them in. I give them a snack of mealworms before I close them up at night.

Too many snacks?? Other thoughts?? I know they don't provide as many eggs, but are they done for the year now as we're getting into shorter days? They first started providing eggs sometime in mid March or so.

 

[sawilliams]

Unfortunately for me I've found simply that EE aren't great producers.

Sure they lay great when they are laying but they are the first to stop in winter and the last to start is spring. All of mine also stored laying their first winter. They also have a higher tendency to so laying if it gets really hot, most of mine stop laying in summer if the average temps are over 95 degrees.

Fun chickens, love the colored eggs. But if you want consistent eggs they just aren't that great.

 

[flock mommasan]

Dang, I was afraid of that -- we had some super hot weather this year (well over 100) and they seemed quite unhappy and stopped laying (I provided a shallow pool for all that they liked). Just have never started up again. They are beautiful chickens with gorgeous eggs but I actually find them less friendly that the others so I'm glad I didn't fill my coop with them!

 

[chickens really]

It takes 6 to 8 weeks for Hens to begin laying again after a hard molt.....

 

[flock mommasan]

It takes 6 to 8 weeks for Hens to begin laying again after a hard molt.....

Okay -- good to know. I guess that will take us nearly into the winter so I'm not going to expect much from these gals for a while! Thanks!

 

[sawilliams]

Dang, I was afraid of that -- we had some super hot weather this year (well over 100) and they seemed quite unhappy and stopped laying (I provided a shallow pool for all that they liked). Just have never started up again. They are beautiful chickens with gorgeous eggs but I actually find them less friendly that the others so I'm glad I didn't fill my coop with them!

Once they get a little older they do seem to adjust to the high temps and will pick up laying again after a week or 2 of cool weather. But it's just one of those things you have to keep in mind with them. Heat can stress all breeds EE just seem to be one of the most sensitive. Of course anytime you can an unusual drop in egg count you should always check and watch for signs of parasites, but I always try to keep it in my mind if its just the green eggs it's mostly likely just the girls being stubborn

 

[chickens really]

EEs are not a true breed so a cross....Anything crossed with Ameruacana is considered an EE....I have EE which are Brahma/Ameruacana and Orpington cross...Then you get into the Olive Egg layers...

 

[sawilliams]

EEs are not a true breed so a cross....Anything crossed with Ameruacana is considered an EE....I have EE which are Brahma/Ameruacana and Orpington cross...Then you get into the Olive Egg layers...

I wasn't meaning to imply that it is a breed. Perhaps is amerucana's that are finicky about temps, perhaps it's what even they are mixed with. But in my experiance with EE they are finicky layers.

 

[chickens really]

I guess it depends on the cross....

 

[flock mommasan]

EEs are not a true breed so a cross....Anything crossed with Ameruacana is considered an EE....I have EE which are Brahma/Ameruacana and Orpington cross...Then you get into the Olive Egg layers...

I'm not sure what mine are crossed with but I get a blue egg with one and more of a green egg with the other (not sure which gives which, though!).