Help!!

phantomml

In the Brooder
8 Years
May 4, 2011
58
1
39
New Waterford
I bought 12 Production Red- Red Star- or what every they are on June 6th. They were ready to lay- and when asked what that meant it was 5 or so months. Not only did they not lay, but haven't either. Its been almost 3 months, I know its been hot, but not recently. My april peeps (leghorns) are laying. Every other chicken that is of age is laying except one pen who is molting or eating their eggs I am not sure which. They are fed grain that is for layers, crumbles and mash with DE in portion, with black oil sunflower and scrain grains as a treat, All kinds of fruits and veggies including, but not limited to Watermelon, Cantelope, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Lettuces, Zuchini, Peaches, Plums, Apples, Nectarines, Cherries, Peppers (Sweet), Cauliflower leaves, Brussel sprouts, corn, corn husks (though they barely touch it), Green beans, and oranges- but not often for the citris. I don't give them onions, garlic, potatoes . They didn't eat radishes or any other root, even carrots. Celery was left alone but offered. They get these treats everyday in the morning, in some fashion whether its the fruit or veggie, and sometimes cooked rice or Popcorn . and get to free range for about 6 hours. It took some chickens a while to figure out it was food, but now that I have been giving it a while, they all eat it pretty fast, except cooked rice, only the roosters seem to like it. Watermelon is gone in seconds and they still eat their grain at dinner time. The leghorns are laying me an egg a day until the earthquake- which I figure will be about a week before they get over that one!! (They were all screaming for an hour~ ) I just dont get why the Gold comets- or Production red- haven't layed yet, their combs dont even look mature, they people who sold them were Menonite so I assume they were honest about the age. Is this a problem? Am I doing something wrong? Can they not eat something I am giving them?? I would see a couple not laying, but all of them? I am prety sure no one is eating eggs, I will put an egg in there and noone touches it. They were the only ones in the pen until about a week ago when I added to adults that are laying- they kinda got shook up with the Earthquake, so they aren't laying yet either, no roosters in the pen- but they can hear them. HELP!
 
hmmm, sounds like you are doing everything right...

Mine have finally reached POL also and am getting eggs...do they free range outside the run area? Sorry if I missed that in your post...is there maybe a secret nest, (I have found several myself)

I have a production red...they are a bit later on laying about 24 weeks. If you got them June 6th, they aren't ready to lay...(oh, I see they were supposeably ready to lay when you got them...)
got it...well, I guess not huh? Can you post a pic of the girls in question?

If the combs aren't reddening up yet, then they aren't ready...I will post a pic of my Production Red so you can compare:

68634_dsc_0106-5.jpg
 
thats a pretty production red!! mine are more like this- with white
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They are in a pen whenthey free range- I don't trust preditors to get them, and they spread out in it, but I never found any eggs outside- I did have one free ranging in the barn and I knew she had laid eggs, I couldn't find them- I put her back in the pen and she laid them back in the next- I cleaned out the barn the last few weeks and found her nest in the back of the sawdust pile that I use for the horses (never thought to look there she always had straw to lay in) Apparently she likes saw dust better than hay
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This is just a suggestion since I read a recent post from someone who said their chickens didn't lay well if they were fed a lot of fruit, but I would just feed them their normal chicken feed, at least 18-20 % protein for awhile with no treats and maybe they will start to lay. I'm new, so I just read all the posts I can. Got my 1st egg on the 25th!
 
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I am going to agree with above poster, try limiting the treats for a bit, not every day..see if that helps...

Yours looks like my Gold Star, Gold Comet, Cinnamon Queen (all the same thing)

68634_dsc_0073-1.jpg
 
phantomml
I have the same chickens as you. When i bought them, i was told they were Red Stars. Mine are 20 weeks old now, and look much more developed than the picture you have...combes/waddles are bigger and redder. I still have not gotten any eggs either, so i don't think yours are mature enough yet, even though i have hear some lay as early as 16 weeks. i think we both need to wait a little bit longer....and i know the waiting is hard...
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It is hard- I will try cutting back on the treats- I get all these veggies free, so I feel like giving them to them is no waste on the veggies for a day for about a week, the resume to give them every three days, I figure it will shock their system to give them none
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But Thanks alot for some responses- I am trying not to be impatient, but when you buy chickens that are 20-22 weeks (ready to lay) and almost 3 months go by, you figure that they weren't as old as they said
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