My chickens aren't laying eggs after I've seen them mating.

[ShadyRooster]

My chickens aren't laying after I've seen them numerous times taking care of their business I have four full grown roosters. A blue Cochin and three gamefowls each with three full grown hens to themselves. I just haven't seen no eggs.? Am I doing something wrong? Well houses well feed and well watered. I just would love chicks for my daughter to see grow up. Yes I'm a new farmer.

 

[Judy]

That's a lot of roos for that number of hens, if I understand you correctly. A good ratio for the long term is usually considered about one roo to 10 hens. It could be the stress of being overmated.

Maybe this will help:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers

Also, are the girls old enough? They may be submitting to the boys before laying has started.

 

[15shenyl]

Have you hens ever layed an egg before. My roosters started mating even before my pullets started laying. Also, if you let them out to free range, look for hidden nests. Mine, even without roosters now, still try to pull of a hidden nest every once and a while.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Welcome to BYC.

I'm sorry you're not getting any eggers from your hens. That being said, roosters are not what cause hens to lay eggs. They are just what causes the eggs to be fertilized and capable of being hatched into chicks (a hen will lay eggs regardless of hanky panky from a roo).

Do you have them in a pen/run/coop all the time or are they free range (allowed to wander free around your property). If it's the latter of the two - they could be laying eggs elsewhere, other than their nest boxes. Have you checked your yard thoroughly for eggs?

Are the hens sitting in their nestboxes and not really doing much else? They could be broody, and a broody hen will rarely (if ever) lay eggs.

Are they molting? Egg production slows a great deal and it's very common for it to stop altogether during this time as well.

How old are your hens?

 

[lmatvey]

Well lit? Just a thought, hens like lite (to stimulate the pituatary gland so the lay eggs) 14 to 15 hours or so.