If my hens don't start laying, into the pot they'll go!

[slightlyscrambled]

I have game crosses and they have totally stopped laying this winter, I have three hens and was getting 2 eggs a day until about the end of Oct. Guess I will wait til spring and see what happens.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I have a 39 week old Cuckoo Marans who laid an egg nearly every day from September through October. Then she stopped around the beginning of November and hasn't resumed laying yet. The rest of the flock ('cept her majesty) are laying.

 

[mlmaxson]

I hung a light out there this morning and my hubby gave me that "I thought you were over this" look when he saw the extension cord running from the house out to the coop. I'll also invest in some golf balls and maybe I can trick them. When I picked them, the 4 I chose looked the youngest of the bunch because their legs were a nice smooth vibrant yellow and that's what I'm used to using a guide-line for age.

I know that the outdoor area I have is not going to be sufficient as it's already a mud patch. But I would be able to quarantine off a nice sized portion of the yard that is unused (except as a place for the dogs to dig holes) if only they'd lay eggs and prove their worth. They always have access to the Layena, but by 'scraps' I mean the veggies that I had for dinner the night before that we didn't eat and some bread, which they seem to love. That and they share the bunny's greens, but they really don't care much for leafy greens. I found that butternut squash is their favorite so far.

My terminology isn't correct either. They seem to sit in the nesting boxes in the afternoons giving the appearance that they know what to do, but come evening time and early morning I can find them huddled together on one of the perches snoozing. The first few days they seemed to go into the nesting boxes and use it as a place to hang out, but after a few days and a few cleanings I haven't had any more poo in there. I do bed with straw and there are a couple places under the nesting boxes on the ground where they've cleared/dug out a place to take a nap.

It's Gurley, ALABAMA and my logic was "I lived in Ohio where it's sub freezing all winter and our chickens never stopped laying therefore if I have chickens in a location where the temps never get THAT low for THAT long, I'm sure that they'll lay all year round".

Thanks for all the reassurance and ideas!

 

[cybercat]

Well after looking at your pics I would say they were sex links. With they age you have on them they might be done for most SL do not lay past two years of age. Many people will sell they used up layers saying that they are laying but they are not. I think got got taken with someone getting rid of old stock to replace with new. Sorry. You can keep them and see if they start laying some this Spring but I would make plans to buy new chicks not layers. TSC will have chick days soon so keep an eye out for that to happen in March. Also try Craigslist for chicks. many locals sell them in the farm and garden section.