Freeloading chickens! ;P

[Sarrett]

I have a flock of 6 girls - 1 isa brown (who is probably past her egg laying days), a rhode island red, two australorp pullets (should be laying very soon...) and two silkies.

Since mid December the 4 girls (australorps were not there yet) had not laid any eggs. Not-a-one! Then a few weeks after we got the two young australorps we started getting two eggs every second day from two of the original 4 - one silkie and we think the Rhode Island. Now nothing again for many weeks.

Any idea what is going on? There are plenty of nest sites, silkies and rhode island are still young and healthy. We chose heritage breeds for longer laying, although we know that they won't lay once a day which is fine. But months and months at a time with no eggs at all? Is this normal??

Thanks everyone

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Are you in the northern hemisphere?
Adding your location to your profile helps folks give better answers/suggestions.

When did you get the australorps and how old were they then?

Do you free range?
Where are these 'nest sites' you speak of?

 

[Sarrett]

I am in Australia. The astrolorps I'm not worried about it's more the other 4 that are not laying for months on end

There is the coop, under bushes and a couple of put plants on their sides with hay inside for nest sites. They free range during the day and locked up at night

 

[aart]

If they are free ranging, they could be laying anywhere....or not at all.
I'd put the nests in the coop and lock them in there for a few days to a week, habituate them to the coop nests and see if they are in fact laying or not.

 

[BlueOrpingtons]

Chickens are very consistent animals, if you get them started laying in one area chances are they will continue to lay there after you let them go back to free range.