its almost summer and hens still aint laying

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ditto on the nutrition....but... 3 year old production reds are going to be in sharp decline with laying, they lay alot in the first couple years, then not so much .

X 2 - I think this situation is likely a result of the "perfect storm" of sorts that is the overall expected decline in production coupled with poor nutrition that is putting what production one might have seen of these same birds under optimal conditions even further out of sight.

 

[chickybuddy100]

Ditto on the nutrition....but... 3 year old production reds are going to be in sharp decline with laying, they lay alot in the first couple years, then not so much .

X 2 - I think this situation is likely a result of the "perfect storm" of sorts that is the overall expected decline in production coupled with poor nutrition that is putting what production one might have seen of these same birds under optimal conditions even further out of sight.

Then I would go back to believing it is a diet issue. Stop feeding the corn and birdseed for a while. Your girls may be spoiled and protest a bit but don't give in. They will eventually eat their food. You might want to switch back to a grower feed, game bird feed or high protein flock raiser until they are laying again as they have no other way to rid themselves of the excess calcium. I don't know where you are but my local feed store is a Southern States dealer which carries a fairly inexpensive feed called Rock-N-Rooster. I'm sure most feed stores carry something similar. Its just a 20% protein complete feed. I give it to my flock so I have more room for fodder, treats and spoiling and offer oyster shell and grit on the side.

I'm going to just feed them layer pellets from now on and seed as treat every now and then I hope they start laying again ....




I just put in there feed what the guy at the feed store said but I guess that wasn't right ....is there any other advice on getting them back in good shape

 

[Nupe]

I would boost their protein intake a bit. Cooked meat, eggs or mealworms would work. Some people use cat food but I've heard mixed feelings on that.

Don't feel bad, you're not the first person to get bad advice from a feed store clerk. A lot of old fogies haven't evolved with modern chicken keeping. They still see chickens as critters in the yard, left to their own devices and supplementing enough feed for them to survive over the winter to make babies in the spring. Even on that diet, along with free ranging, a flock of 1 year old pullets would lay enough to put eggs on the table for breakfast while your chickens would have already been dinner.

 

[VAsweetchicks]

I've been having the same issue with my 5 peeps! One is in molt, so of course, no eggs. We're getting 1 egg every other day from the Sussex. They've suddenly become a house of slackers! Lol. They get layer feed supplemented with a small amount of protein snacks,fruits + veggies w/yougurt. They're clean, happy, no bugs or ailments...even have a chicken 'pool' to stand in to keep cool! Lol they were laying fine up till a few weeks ago when the weather broke...then, nothin'! Neither I, nor the vet knows why. I guess its a waiting game...

 

[aart]

I've been having the same issue with my 5 peeps! One is in molt, so of course, no eggs. We're getting 1 egg every other day from the Sussex. They've suddenly become a house of slackers! Lol. They get layer feed supplemented with a small amount of protein snacks,fruits + veggies w/yougurt. They're clean, happy, no bugs or ailments...even have a chicken 'pool' to stand in to keep cool! Lol they were laying fine up till a few weeks ago when the weather broke...then, nothin'! Neither I, nor the vet knows why. I guess its a waiting game...

..and I have just the opposite problem...the 3 yos that were slated for 'harvest' are pumping out eggs.
Well, not all that many.... they're still going to soup, but it does give me pause.

 

[aggiemae]

Supplement with some cottage cheese or tuna every few days to get them going.

 

[aggiemae]

..and I have just the opposite problem...the 3 yos that were slated for 'harvest' are pumping out eggs.
Well, not all that many.... they're still going to soup, but it does give me pause.

Most of our hens lay at least 4 eggs a week into their fourth year. Maybe you can stew them on the fall right before they molt.

 

[aart]

Quote: These girls are only laying 1-2 maybe 3 eggs a week, one isn't laying at all I don't think.
Nope, they're going now...it's a space (and a management learning curve) issue...my chicken math needs some subtraction ;-)

 

[VAsweetchicks]

I wish my girls would 'get on the nest' and start producing! They'll be 2yrs old on mothers day...so they ain't old biddies yet! Lol. I'm suspicious if the heat lamps I put in the coop very late in winter may have messed up their clocks(so to speak)...perhaps it threw off their season. They were laying all winter like gangbusters...and when the head hen stopped laying, three out of five stopped with her! ...just can't figure it out...

 

[chickybuddy100]

...

I've been having the same issue with my 5 peeps! One is in molt, so of course, no eggs. We're getting 1 egg every other day from the Sussex. They've suddenly become a house of slackers! Lol. They get layer feed supplemented with a small amount of protein snacks,fruits + veggies w/yougurt. They're clean, happy, no bugs or ailments...even have a chicken 'pool' to stand in to keep cool! Lol they were laying fine up till a few weeks ago when the weather broke...then, nothin'! Neither I, nor the vet knows why. I guess its a waciting game. (Quote)







Me toojust last month when it started getting warm they stopped I was getting one every now and them but these last few weeks nothing




Oh these are my chicks I got in the mail today in a couple of months I'll have some new Egg layers ...along with my 4

I ordered from ideal poultry ....got 11 hens and they gave me 6 extra males for warmth on there journey here ...I have a

-1 silverlaced wyandotte
-1 partridge rock
-1 partridge wyandotte
-1 deleware
-1 Rhode island red
-1 buff orpington
-1 black sex link
-1 golden sex link
-1 black australorp
-1 white rock
-1 New Hampshire red



I got 1 of each of those and 6 males that I might sell bc I don't need 17 chicks ...I didn't order the males that had to put them in there by law lol