I think that I got swindled...

[fourgotten]

About a month ago, I found a person selling 6 Rhode Island Red "laying" hens.

They said that the hens were about 2.5 years old. They don't artificially extend their laying season with lights in the winter, so I expect about another year of eggs from these two girls.

One of them (Lucy) started laying every other day, pretty regularly, but hasn't laid an egg in almost two weeks. The other (Clarise) hasn't laid an egg since joining our flock.

Initially, I thought that Clarise might be going through a molt, as her tail feathers are a bit on the raggedy side, but we got her a month ago. She should be done molting by now, I would expect!

My girlfriend voiced her suspicion that these girls are older than we were led to believe.

My mother, who got the bulk of the RIRs (there were six - I took two and she four) said the exact same thing the other day. She's getting three eggs a day from her six hens.

I'm thinking that maybe they are right and we got sold a bunch of old dumplin' hens.

Now what do i do? I mean, we could go back to the peoples' place and say, "Hey. Those hens that you sold us aren't producing and we deserve at least a partial refund!" I mean... we paid $60 for a half-dozen laying hens... not for a half dozen stews. By this point, we've considered them laying chickens long enough that we're not going to eat them... I mean... the girlfriend already named 'em!

What would YOU do?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Do you have pictures of them?

 

[DTchickens]

Remember the time of year, it is getting colder and the days are about to be shorter (I believe). My hens have completely stopped laying except one roundhead hen, but mine are games so they stop sooner than egg layers. Other things also will effect the egg laying, like stressful environments, nutrition (if you changed feed recently, or the nutrition is poor), weather, moved from one place to another.. Worms.. I have heard not having enough water may effect it and many other things..

Your hens could just be noticing the time of year, or it may be other things. It is doubtful your hens are done laying. Most egg laying factories will get rid of hens at around 3 years of age because that is when they tend to slow down, but I have had hens lay until around 9-10 years of age.. Have heard of a 18 year old breeding pair, etc... They may not lay everyday, but you can expect to get a few and these were from games. Layers would probably lay even more.

-Daniel

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Some times When they are moved to a new home they will stop laying until they adjust

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
This is so true. I have been building my hens a new chicken house and they egg laying has just about come to a complete stop. I have over 100 chickens and I only got 2 dozen eggs yesterday. So, it could be that they are adjusting to a new home.

 

[teach1rusl]

I think even young layers, when moved to a different environment, and at this time of year (beginning of molting "season") would fall way off on egg production. You could be right...the hens could be older than what was proclaimed. But you could be wrong too, and they are as described by the seller. Did they tell you how many eggs they'd been getting recently from the group??? Like from your mom...3 eggs a day from 6 hens could be "normal." That could mean that each bird is laying every other day, which would be typical for older layers, and in some breeds typical for young layers.

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

I have 10 laying hens, 3 are molting and I only get 3-4 eggs a day. I also could just be adjusting to new home. Give them a little more time!

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
1 In fall hens slow down laying unless you use light management.

2. In fall second year hens molt stopping egg production for 6 - 8 weeks.

3. Hen young or old is not a machine to be expected to crank up an egg every day although some of them amasingly manage to do so, but never forever.

4. Your mother is getting 3 eggs from 6 hens a day, thats darn good for 2 years+ old hrns in the fall

5. You already gave them names didn,t you? If I name an animal , it is a pet for me, and I would not eat it or expect much from it, as far as utilitarian value, cause it is a pet now.

I'd love to hear what the people who sold you the hens say if you request "partial" refund.

If it is not suitable to be publicly posted send me PM with the line they gave you

LOL

 

[pgpoultry]

Shock, change of environment etc. can cause quite a lengthy' lay off' if that is the right term!

Following a fox attack in which 6 of my hens were killed, I am only getting eggs from the one hen who managed to hide. The other 3 young hens are on strike.....and that's 6 weeks ago!

So it may just be the change that is affecting them.

As previously mentioned, pictures will be helpful to try to judge their age,

Sandie

 

[fourgotten]

This is exactly why I decided to bounce this idea off of y'all before I brought it up to them... *chuckle*

They have integrated pretty well with the other girls but, it IS getting on to fall (though we've only lost an hour of light or so) so I can understand the slow-down. I'll get some pics of the two RIRs for the person who requested them.

I just would have eggspected at LEAST one from Clarise (the one that hasn't laid at all) in the last 5 weeks... but perhaps I expect too much

Of course, the morning that I post this, I find what appears to be an egg from Lucy (the one that was laying)... she tends to leave rather distinctive "shoulders" and freckles on her eggs... but this one was pretty small... it might also have been from the Wyandotte pullet that hasn't started laying yet...

I'll hold off on contacting the people from which I bought these girls... if they don't pick up in the spring, then maybe I'll contact them... 'course... it'd be doubtful at that point that I'd bother...