I'm going to figure out who's laying... and replace the rest

Sheesh. ALL SUMMER LONG exactly ONE of my six hens has been laying. Nada from the others.

They are three magpies from Holderread and three runners hatched from McMurray stock. I have a feeling it's a runner laying because the egg is green. But tonight I'm going to split the flocks in half. If it's a runner laying, I'm going to sell the entire quad of Holderread magpies. They are gorgeous, but I am sick of feeding birds who don't repay the favor.

My friend has runners from McMurray stock who have been laying all summer AND most of last winter. I'm going to ask her for some eggs to hatch, and also hatch a few from my one girl who is laying, and replace the whole darn flock (except the one laying).

It's possible it's husbandry that's keeping them from laying but they are on the same property as the flock I had last year who laid faithfully on a daily basis. They are fed laying pellets daily, with optional cat food (which they refuse to eat), free range morning from night on over an acre of grass and weeds. They have two kiddie pools and access to a lake (which they never use). They are never chased or otherwise troubled, and their routine is, well, routine. I can think of not a single thing that is keeping them from laying other than poor genetics.

I am especially disappointed in the magpies. I had read (in Holderread) that they are almost as productive as runners, but they laid last fall and then very briefly this spring, and that is IT. They are Holderread stock...

So, anyway, that's my plan. If anyone has any ideas other than replacing them, I'd love to hear it. I hate to start all over again. HATE it. But honestly--twenty eggs a year is simply not going to cut it.

And has anyone else had better experience with magpies? I am a HUGE fan of Holderread and I have always found him to be right about everything, and am very pleased with the appearance of birds from him but... I am wondering if maybe production stock might be better for my purposes. Thoughts?

 

Could be. However, I have tried leaving them in their pen all day and still it's always exactly one egg (occasionally none at all). I am almost positive they're not hiding them in the pen--I would at least have found their stash when I cleaned it out. And I frequently take a pitchfork and test all the corners.

If someone were eating them, I would think that the one consistent egg would either also be eaten, or occasionally there would be more than one egg, or that there would be remains. The only critters capable of getting into their pen would be rats and snakes, and both would leave evidence behind. But almost every day, it's that one exact egg, always in a clean nesting area (not always the SAME clean nesting area, but consistently laid where an attempt at nesting has been made, and where it's relatively clean--for which I'm very grateful!). And it never appears to have been attacked or damaged in any way.

They don't actually use the lake at the bottom of the property. They have access to it, but they choose to stay up by the house (the lake is at the bottom of a long acre, and they don't even get close to it).

I wish you guys were right, but I don't think so. However, what else can I do to figure out? I would hate to replace them only to have the same trouble later... but I would love to find out that they've been laying all along and I just didn't realize it...

 

P.S. LOL yes, I'm not expecting eggs from my drakes! I actually have eight ducks, of which two are drakes. I'm only expecting the hens to lay.

However, if the magpies are not laying, I'll probably send them and their magpie drake together as a family, and replace them with runners. I'll keep the runner drake if it's a runner laying--he's Holderread and beautiful.

 

Well, I THINK I've searched thoroughly, but I'll make a really really thorough search before I rehome. I'm separating runners from magpies tonight to see if I can identify at least who's laying in the nest. Next weekend we have a yard sale, but maybe Sunday or the following weekend I'll completely clean their pen out, every bit of it, and search for eggs. A few days before, I'll leave them locked up 24-7 so if they are laying, they HAVE to do it in the pen.

Thanks for the input. I'll keep y'all updated.