Hens hardly laying at all. We need advice!!!!

[dave27889]

We have 24 hens and about 6 roos. We just got flooded out, Moved hens around, traded some hens and switched to a different feed. The weather has also gone from high 80's to mid 70's during the day and to the 40's at night now. I know that the daylight hours have changed also but I am using additional light to make it 15 hours of light. I am not the only person around here with the same problem at least 5 others I know have basicly the same problems but are not using lights. ! lady I know has used the same feed supply and her RIRs and Marans are doing fine but she did not get flooded out. I have Marans, RIRs, Leghorns, Easter Eggers and Barred Rocks. The leghorns are the only hens laying.

The thing I know is all the above will mess with a hens ability to lay but it has been over 2 weeks since everything has happened. I am going nuts and so are the other people. They have tons more chickens than I do. The feed we are getting is from a supplier that is making the feed same as purenia laying mash but slightly higher protien content 18% at least. I am just wondering if there is something missing from the feed because we are getting it at a really good price about 3 times less per 100 pounds. I have 200 pounds of the feed left and 1 friend bought 2000 pounds and the other bought 1200 pounds. the lady only got 200 pounds from her son that bougt the same feed.
Please if you have any Ideas let me know I am relly in kinda a bind and I relly could use the egg money.Thanks to all.
P.S. I want to thank everyone who has said a prayer for me and my family. I am doing some better since my last surgery. The back surgery was 14.5 hours and they fused me 7 levels, The 2 heart attacks changed my eating habits and my life style some also but the Diabeties has really got me down. I have gone from the 500 to down to 200's sometimes but still hit the low 300's at times. Taking 3 meds for it and I have seen some getting better this month. My eye sight is rather better now but still not great. legs and feet burn but at least I still have them all including all my toes. Thanks to all and thank you Dear Lord. Thanks to all, Dave
Couple of pictures of my birds
RIRs that I got the eggs from William. Thanks They are really dark and big

2 Blue maran hens I raised from eggs and 1 BCM hen I also raised

Blue splash hen I raised from eggs. She is sweet but not laying yet.

This si an Easter Egger roo I got from a friend. he is nice and so are his hens. They lay blue eggs but none in the past 2 weeks.

My number 1 BCM Roo. I love this guy and he is very friendly. I raised him from eggs I got from a friend here in NC.

My large blue roo. He has 2 blue girl friends.

My blue splash roo raised him also. he and the blue splash hen never leave each other.

Couple of hens and 1 blue Maran hen.

Thanks for looking sorry for all the roo pictures but the hens were to fast for me.

 

[woolychicken]

your flock look great but as you said they have had alot of excitment in the chicken world. are you noteicng any molting?
if not i would have to say the feed or they just have not settled down yet. they might just need more time to adjust to the feed and and great flood. hope all is well so keep things calm and i know youll be back egg swing.

to many new event isn such a short time

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm sorry for all your troubles, but glad to hear your health is improving some. That is a lot to go through. Getting older is not for sissies. I hope things continue to improve for you.

As for the chickens, I know that when chickens stop laying after moving to a new home, it's not unusual for them to stop laying for a month. Although I hate to say it, occasionally a little more. That's with chickens that have moved to a new home, though, so hopefully yours will start laying again soon. Since it's only been two weeks, plus it's fall, I'm thinking they need more time to settle down.

Shorter days or molting can definately stop them from laying. I don't know how long it takes to get chickens started laying again, after adding lights. Usually lights are added before they stop laying. Maybe someone else can answer that.

Do you get a list of ingredients for the feed you buy? That would help a lot. Otherwise, it's hard to say. It looks like you free range at least a little, going by your photos. I would think it would have to be a pretty big blunder in a recipe to have your chickens not produce any eggs at all.

 

[NonnasBabies]

I agree with what was said about the move, flood etc. so just give them some more time!! But also that's a whole lotta roo's to have with just 24 hens. Just an idea!!

Good luck and hope they start laying again soon. Glad to hear your health is improving!!

Missi

 

[tinahoak]

sounds like your birds have been stressed..........it may be a while before they lay again. Stress does terrible things to chickens and humans alike. Good luck!

 

[snowflake]

Hi! Hope things in your life continue to improve. I agree with what every one else said. If some one who bought the feed could have it tested to make sure it isn't contaminated or something, might help. I agree with to many roosters also. I have 5 to 20 right now due to one momma hatching out 3 this summer. the hens are not happy and egg production is down , 1 it is fall, hours, but the young roos are after the hens all the time.I plan to get rid of 3 as soon as possible. can't give them away. Also you said you traded hens and that upsets the pecking order so they have been hit with a lot for animals that do not like change. Flood, new feed, and new companions. I have mixed breeds also and my 2 leg horns seem to lay every day no matter what the others about every other day and I really am not sure who is and who isn't most of the time. It is molting season also I'll say a prayer for you, hope they start laying soon

 

[dave27889]

Thanks everuone for the thoughts and prayers. Just a couple of things. The roos and hens are all seperated into there own groups. Blues with blue hens, RIR with RIR etc. The only 2 roos that are together are 2 RIR roos and the RIR roos. They all hate to be seperated from each other and they fuss when I do pen them seperatly. The feed guy swear that the feed is fine and says it is analized each grinding and makeup. He said he would give us a copy of the information but how will I know it's from that batch right? The last thing is the lights have been on at my houses for over a month so that they could get use to them and they are on timers. I have not seen any molting yet and I remember the times before when other chickens went through that and yea it took a month or more for them to start back laying.
I am with most of you and think that it is all the stress. I know I am stressed with it all. I will sit back and moniter the birds and see what happens. Thanks for the imput and if you have more let me know. Thanks for the comments on the pictures I think I do have some nice looking birds even if they are not laying right now. Later and keep the ideas and prayers coming. Later, Dave