jacksgirl

Date sort Score sort
jacksgirl

jacksgirl

Chirping
5 Years
Joined
Nov 6, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
50
We are new to chickens this year. We bought 6 Americauna chicks. One died soon after. The seller replaced it with a Rhode Island red. We later bought a sex linked black and sex linked red. Turned out 3 of our Americauna's were roosters. One rooster is very loud and protective of the hens. One is interested only in mating and the other acts like a hen, altho both will crow. So, we have 2 Americauna hens. When they started laying, we got about a dozen green/blue eggs altogether, and then no more. Now we only get shades of brown eggs from the other three. We have a big, roomy hen house and they have access at all times to a large yard.
All the chickens appear to be healthy. Don't know why the americauna's started to lay, then quit.
 


Sorry about your loss!
hugs.gif
But I'm glad you got a replacement.

Yes, roosters are very protective of their ladies.

Are your hens molting? Do they have food and calcium? This could be why they aren't laying.
Here's a link on that toohttp://www.backyardchickens.com/a/why-are-my-hens-not-laying
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


If it is not from some of the things that the others have listed above, it could be that your rooster to hen ratio is too small. The proper ratio should be 1 roo to 8 to 10 hens. Any less and the roo can over mate these few hens, harming them or injuring them badly. So you need to add to your flock or keep your roo separate from these 2 birds. Too much action for one or two birds. Eventually the one being mated will turn up hurt or sick. I would give them a good once over to make sure they are healthy and they have no injuries. The stress of over mating can cause them to stop laying too.

Here is a thread on Why My Chickens Are Not Laying that might be of help to you...https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers

Enjoy your flock and welcome to ours!
 
Last edited:
Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. X2 on TwoCrows on that 10 to 1 hen to rooster ratio. As they mature, too many roosters will become very hard physically on your hens; overbreeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their necks and backs, battering them, and potentially, seriously injuring them. The only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching and 1 rooster can easily handle 10 hens in that regard. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in your hens laying again.
 
Thanks to all who have replied to my question, we'll give some of it a try. Food should be OK as 3 other (non-Americauna) hens are laying. We also had egg eaters, but built slanted nests and have not had any problems since.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom