Hens Have Never Laid - Help!

[Nikkimarie15]

I have 2 hens that we have raised since they were day old chicks. Our Silkie hen was broody so we have her 2 babies (one barred rock and one Easter egger). We got them at the beginning of April and the feed store we got them from said these breeds start laying anywhere from 4-6 months. We are now almost to 8 months and not one egg from the Easter egger or batter rock hens.

The mother silkie lays regularly. All 3 hens are on later crumble, plenty of daylight and room to roam in their coop. Could they not be laying because the grown chicks are still with their “mama”? Or could something else be wrong?

This is our first set of multiple hens in the last year, so still learning a lot. Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They shouldn't be on a layer if they aren't laying. Put them back on a grower which has more protein. A separate bowl of oyster shells will take care of the calcium needs. Some take longer to begin this time of year. Most of my May hatched chicks haven't started yet either.

 

[Nikkimarie15]

They shouldn't be on a layer if they aren't laying. Put them back on a grower which has more protein. A separate bowl of oyster shells will take care of the calcium needs. Some take longer to begin this time of year. Most of my May hatched chicks haven't started yet either.

Since all of them are in the same coop, can the silkie eat the grower food and continue to lay? We don’t really have a way to separate them from each other. And I know I can’t tell them not to share food lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Since all of them are in the same coop, can the silkie eat the grower food and continue to lay? We don’t really have a way to separate them from each other. And I know I can’t tell them not to share food lol

Yes. I have fed adult bantam birds a non medicated grower for many years. A layer is lower in protein and higher in calcium. Put out oyster shells.

 

[wamtazlady]

The main differences between layer feed and grower feed is that grower has more protein and layer feed has more calcium. If your birds haven't been laying then the extra protein is good for them and won't hurt the one that is laying one bit. For your one that is laying, she can get all the extra calcium she needs by eating oyster shell. The ones that are not laying will most likely ignore the oyster shell.

Of the chicks I got this spring I only have 1 laying. I expect in Jan or Feb with the days getting longer they will all start to lay and I'll have more eggs than I can use or give away.