My BO's are the WORST layers.

[mtnhens4]

How long do I wait for my 2 BO's to lay eggs with regularity before they become dinner? They are 1 year old and have given me no more than 10 eggs each and that's being generous. Our BR and RIR have been laying consistently since about 23 wks old. I know that they can lay because we did have a 4 egg day on Jan. 31st. I got them because they were supposed to be such good layers but my patience is wearing thin

. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Sorry to hear it. Since I assume they all get the same feed and same living conditions and the others lay well, it is likely you've found a breed, or at least a strain, that you won't be buying again. LOL

With the warm, sunny days of spring coming now, you'll have your answer by Easter. If laying doesn't come on in March and April, they'll make very tasty dinner. Some strains simply are slower to develop, this we all understand. Some strains simply don't lay heavy. This too we understand. Some strains don't lay well in the dark days of fall and winter, and this too we can grudgingly accept. But time is running out, I suspect, with these hens. Best wishes.

BTW, the BO is rarely, if ever, the layer a RIR is. No way.

 

[HEChicken]

I'm sorry to hear that has been your experience of BO's. I have two and the first was a wonderful layer until she laid a lash. The second is now in her third year of laying and has been very consistent. She does stop for 8 weeks or so in the Fall to take a break for molt but in between molts, she's a good, consistent layer of medium to large eggs.

Is it possible your hens are laying somewhere else (hidden nest) or that they are eating the eggs?

 

[mtnhens4]

Hidden nests are impossible since they're almost never out of the run and then only with supervision. I thought that there might be an egg eater but have never seen any evidence and I check for eggs many times during the day. Occasionally I get a membrane egg in the nesting boxes or on the poop board but have only found 3 broken since Aug. and then there seems to be a lot to clean up so I don't think that is the issue.
My BO's sit in the nesting boxes, squat, sing the egg song (when others lay eggs), they are just terrible layers themselves.

 

[HEChicken]

You're sure they're NOT laying any of the eggs you're collecting? All of those sound like egg-laying behaviors. If you have 4 hens, it would be unusual to get 4 eggs in a single day very often. You should expect no more than 2-3 eggs. My guess would be that the four hens (if that's how many you have) are all laying but alternating who lays each day. It might take sitting in the coop watching them go in and out of the nest boxes and actually laying the eggs to tell for sure.

 

[mtnhens4]

Thank you for your response. The RIR lays a distinct egg with dark brown speckles on it so I know which ones are hers, the BR is a fast layer and is in and out of the box quickly so it's harder to catch her but as far as I know those two are the only 1 yr olds that lay with regularity. I have gotten an EE that is now laying a pretty green egg and then a BW Amerucana that is 23 wks old and is just thinking about giving me blue eggs I have never had to cull a chicken before and I hope that I don't have to start now but if I don't see more eggs by Easter I guess that it's off to freezer camp with them.

 

[PeachygirlGA]

I have 4 BO hens that I've had for almost a year and I have never gotten 4 eggs a day except maybe ONE day. I usually get 1 or 2 eggs a day and these past few hot days NOTHING! I got some new hens, 3 EE and a PR, so hopefully they will start laying soon. They are still too young yet. I don't think I would buy BO again. They are sweet birds and quite calm, but sorely lacking in the egg producing department!

 

[LizzieJ]

We were considering getting a couple of BO hens to add to our already happy flock but this has made us rethink................BO's usually have a pretty good reputation for laying but what i have read here and on other posts has lead me to believe that the theory isnt always as accurate as the practice! My Red shaver hybrids have stopped laying recently isnt it frustrating!!!!!!

 

[ladybuglives]

I adore my BOs as pets but as layer they are useless. I lost one to egg binding and have another with egg yolk peritonitis and the other one has just started only laying once a week or so. They are now two years old but the weirdness with the first two started before they were a year old! The thing is that they have fabulous personalities and have wiggled their ways into my already soft heart so I would do anything for them but would not get more BOs if I want eggs!!!

 

[cmclean]

Just goes to show us that each hen is a unique creature. I have 4 BOs that have laid an egg each almost continually since they were 6 months old. The only time they slow down (or stop) is when two of them went broody!!! I have been thrilled with all the eggs my girls provide.
Good luck to you and yours!!!!