Hens are healthy,but not laying.

[gmendoza]

I have a good question for you all.

I have 3 american game hens.They are healthy as horses.

This past year they were laying an egg a day,no breaks,no slackers. Even two of them are good moms.We hatched about 6 dozen chicks betwix them.

They havent layed for about 4 months now,but they are healthy football shaped girls. I am keeping them regardless because 2 of them are good moms,and the other is partialy blind from the drout here in SC this past summer.

Any remedies,or and advice.They seem fine and healthy.

 

[crash0330]

It might be the shortened days, hens need 14 hours of sunlight to lay eggs, altho there are some hens who will lay regardless, but for the most part most chickens need those 14 hours of sunlight. You might supplement them with putting up a light bulb to make up those 14 hours of sunlight.
Another thing you might wannado is deworm them if they free range is most likely you'll need to do that, they might look healthy sometimes but if they're carrying worms in them that'd stress them and they might not lay.
Another thing to check for is lice, check under their wings or just above her vent thats where rthey usually hide.
To deworm them and for lice problem I use Eprinex heres a link if you wanna read about it. its really effective.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=319947

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
the other is partialy blind from the drout here in SC this past summer.

Do you mean she lost part of her sight as a result of a drought, as in lack of rainfall?

 

[gmendoza]

She lost her sight due to the extreme heat.We lost alot of chicks this years summer.She is one of the casualties that I pulled back from the brink of death.

The dont have worms,nor lice.I think its because im feeding them scratch grains and cracked corn for the winter,they are not eating their laying mash at all.Well in feb it will change to just laying mash.

Regardless,Im keeping them because they are good mothers.Thanks for yalls advice.

 

[chuckzoo]

I feed a little cracked corn and BOSS early in the morning and a little in the evening before they go to roost. I have them on gamebird food (24% protein) in the winter and mine are laying.

I would cut back on the scratch drastically and let them have some layer feed too - they need it. They will preferentialy eat scratch rather than layer feed so if you cut back on scatch they will eat layer feed. They will be healthier for it. Scratch does not contain all the nutrients chickens need.

 

[PepsNick]

4 months is a long time for "shortened days" to be the problem. Maybe you should also post this in the disease section. Things like Marek's and cocci can take that long to even be visible. Eyesight can't effect laying, especially if it was caused by the heat. How old are they? Do you feed grit?

 

[sourland]

Game hens tend to be seasonal layers. They have not been selected for continuous egg production. Generally they wil lay a clutch (which can be extended if you remove the eggs daily), set, raise a brood of chicks and repeat the proces up to 4 or more times a year. They will lay again in the spring. There is nothing wrong with them health wise. They are simply exhibiting breed specific traits.

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
Ahh, so that's why they need more protein?

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
AHHH! Good advice.No matter,im keeping them anyways.They are great moms,and besides I likey them alot!