Hey everyone! I'm new to BYC and am newer to chickens than I thought. I had them growing up, but it's been a few years, am finally out on my own, married, starting my little zoo, and am lost and confused not having good old mom around all the time to help me out.
I have recently purchased 4 hens from a guy at a trade day. I was told they were about a year and a half old and had been laying. After posting pics on BYC, I think that they are gameing crosses (very pretty I may add!). My dilemma is that my husband did not want me to get more animals, as we already have dogs, cats, and rabbits, but I promised him these would be different. These girls would earn their keep! Two months later, they aren't. Since I bought them already grown, ready to lay, they are not only NOT earning their keep, but aren't even friendly so I can't use the excuse "but they really like us honey!" like I have most of the other animals.
HELP ME HELP THEM TO START LAYING!!
I have them in an 8x8 ft 'coop'. It's a 3 sided structure that has a wide swinging door in the front. I can swing the door open to give them access to an 8x8ft-ish open/grassy (right now it's mud because of all our rain) area for them. It's really simple though, made from old fencing that that we knocked down. It has 5 nesting boxes I made from plywood, which they do roost in, and a few places to perch, which they do hang out on. I can swing the door closed to close them in and protect them from the bad weather. I'm feeding them Layena and all my old scraps. This morning was butternut squash, bread, raisins, and they share my rabbit's greens (what-evers in season). They always have fresh clean water. What's up with them? I mentioned to my hubby that we need to install a light and that might help. But with any man who already thinks that his wife had a bad idea and he was appeasing her, simply throwing more money at it will only make it worse. So no light UNLESS THEY LAY EGGS! We also have a 40x50 foot side yard that I want to fence in and give them a nice area to free range in, but again, he'd only be willing to put out the money IF THEY LAY EGGS! These ladies don't know how good they'd have it IF THEY'D ONLY LAY EGGS
I've looked everywhere hoping they were hiding the eggs. But I can't find anything but more poop. They squawk and squeal and make all those funny noises like my mom's RIR's do when they'd be laying. I'd sneak into the coop, peak under the girl in the roost, and only see her feet. Am I missing something? Did I get duped into buying the only hens in the world that won't lay eggs?
I have recently purchased 4 hens from a guy at a trade day. I was told they were about a year and a half old and had been laying. After posting pics on BYC, I think that they are gameing crosses (very pretty I may add!). My dilemma is that my husband did not want me to get more animals, as we already have dogs, cats, and rabbits, but I promised him these would be different. These girls would earn their keep! Two months later, they aren't. Since I bought them already grown, ready to lay, they are not only NOT earning their keep, but aren't even friendly so I can't use the excuse "but they really like us honey!" like I have most of the other animals.
HELP ME HELP THEM TO START LAYING!!
I have them in an 8x8 ft 'coop'. It's a 3 sided structure that has a wide swinging door in the front. I can swing the door open to give them access to an 8x8ft-ish open/grassy (right now it's mud because of all our rain) area for them. It's really simple though, made from old fencing that that we knocked down. It has 5 nesting boxes I made from plywood, which they do roost in, and a few places to perch, which they do hang out on. I can swing the door closed to close them in and protect them from the bad weather. I'm feeding them Layena and all my old scraps. This morning was butternut squash, bread, raisins, and they share my rabbit's greens (what-evers in season). They always have fresh clean water. What's up with them? I mentioned to my hubby that we need to install a light and that might help. But with any man who already thinks that his wife had a bad idea and he was appeasing her, simply throwing more money at it will only make it worse. So no light UNLESS THEY LAY EGGS! We also have a 40x50 foot side yard that I want to fence in and give them a nice area to free range in, but again, he'd only be willing to put out the money IF THEY LAY EGGS! These ladies don't know how good they'd have it IF THEY'D ONLY LAY EGGS
I've looked everywhere hoping they were hiding the eggs. But I can't find anything but more poop. They squawk and squeal and make all those funny noises like my mom's RIR's do when they'd be laying. I'd sneak into the coop, peak under the girl in the roost, and only see her feet. Am I missing something? Did I get duped into buying the only hens in the world that won't lay eggs?
