Help! Speckled Sussex won't lay

[arnault]

Hi, I'm new to backyard chickens. I moved to the country a year ago and decided to raise chickens for the eggs and to give my boys something productive to do. I have 3 speckled Sussex that are around 9 or 10 months. I got them when they just started laying well and they did lay about 2-3 eggs every other day. However, about 2 weeks ago, they have not laid one egg. I noticed they started slowing down not long after I got them and put them in their new home. I feed them 22% layer feed and I give them some meal worms from time to time and even given the oyster shells. I've bought fake eggs and placed in their nest about 3 days ago. They all look very good, high energy and very healthy. I let them out during the day to forage. They've never ran out of water. Please help, I'm not sure what to do.

 

[animalgrl]

Have you looked around your foraging area to make sure they haven't found a spot they like better than the nest box? Maybe they are laying under a bush, or somewhere.

 

[arnault]

Have you looked around your foraging area to make sure they haven't found a spot they like better than the nest box?  Maybe they are laying under a bush, or somewhere.

I have. The area I let them forage isn't very large. Maybe 20 x 40.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My experiences with speckles Sussex is they are average to poor layers who take many breaks and lay few eggs after their initial start. I would suggest a better breed. You are certainly feeding them well. I personally won't get them anymore.

 

[arnault]

My experiences with speckles Sussex is they are average to poor layers who take many breaks and lay few eggs after their initial start. I would suggest a better breed. You are certainly feeding them well. I personally won't get them anymore.

Thank you for the comment. I thought they would be better than this. So far, in the 2 months I've had them, I may have had a dozen eggs. The place I got them said over 200 a year. I also have 4 cinnamon queen but they are not yet old enough to lay. Still need a few more months for them. Are there any suggestions on helping them lay more other? Just seems that several weeks of not getting even 1 egg is still a long stretch for this breed from what I've read so far.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Since they are already receiving a decent diet, I don't know what else you can do for them.

The breeding behind your hens can play a big role too in how much they produce. I'm sure some lines of speckled Sussex lay more than others. Mine have always been bums.

 

[keesmom]

Hi, I'm new to backyard chickens. I moved to the country a year ago and decided to raise chickens for the eggs and to give my boys something productive to do. I have 3 speckled Sussex that are around 9 or 10 months. I got them when they just started laying well and they did lay about 2-3 eggs every other day.

How sure are you of their age? How is their appearance now? Any molting, or pale combs/legs?

 

[arnault]

How sure are you of their age? How is their appearance now? Any molting, or pale combs/legs?

I have spoken to the man who raised them and the guy I bought them from is a friend so I'm sure they are the right age. Where I'm from if someone lies, that's the end of thier business. They look very good to me but I'm no expert. I have seen some some feathers on the ground but not much. We did have a weird winter, hit then cold then hot again with the last spell a couple of weeks ago. Around the time they quit laying. I thought that may have been it but I haven't seen any other signs.

 

[aldarita]

You mentioned in your first post that you have recently moved them into their new home and that's when they slowed down in their egg production. Chickens don't like drastic changes and it takes a while for them to adapt to their new place. On the other hand, they might just be poor layers and there is nothing you can do to change that. You are already doing what needs to be done to improve their quality of life.

 

[Spartan22]

I have single one year old Speckled Sussex and she's my sparse layer. I only get 2-3 a week from her sometime just one a week, like @oldhenlikesdogs have mentioned, they are not good layers. Get a Black Australorps or sexlinks hens they are far better layers, if eggs are your priority on hen keeping.