girls not laying

[phaatnsassy]

This past spring I got 8 new chicks they were Araucana and Buff Orpingtons. Now I have only one that is laying and have been told to add cayenne pepper to their food and cider vinegar to their water to help them get started. I have been doing this for the past 2 weeks and still only one is laying. HELP How do I get them to start laying? The weather has been rainy now it is just cold.

 

[QueenMisha]

Cayenne pepper and ACV are for general health benefits and to help prevent parasites. I don't see any reason they would help a hen to begin laying, though.

How old are the birds? The average point of lay is 20-24 weeks; but some individuals and certain breeds (e.g. Easter Eggers - this is the proper name for what you were most likely sold incorrectly as "Araucanas", a very common occurence) might take 26-30 weeks and occasionally more. In cold weather even high-production early laying breeds can take a while to get started.

 

[phaatnsassy]

When I got them in April it was around the middle of the month. They were 1 week old at that time. So I am guessing they are 8 months right now.

 

[junebuggena]

Pullets that mature in the fall/winter can take longer than usual to start laying. Days are starting to get longer again now, so they should start laying for you soon.

 

[phaatnsassy]

Thank you for all the information. I was told the cayenne pepper would help warm them up to encourage egg production.

 

[junebuggena]

Chickens don't have the tastebuds for 'heat'. Some people believe that adding pepper to feed made their birds lay, but it's more likely that the birds were about to lay anyways. The fact that laying started soon after adding pepper was coincidental and unrelated.