New chicken owner

[pacenme]

Hi everyone! I am soo excited that I have found this forum. My husband and I recently acquired 4 hens (leghorn, astrolock, americana and a brahma bantam). We have had them for almost 2 weeks now. Our 2 brown layers had given us 9 eggs in less than a week and now we have nothing. The leghorn and americana have layed nothing. Not sure how old they are so I am just gonna guess that they are old and thats why they aren't laying. But I am at a loss w/ my brown layers. I haven't changed their diet and they haven't been stressed at all. The weather has changed and it has gotten colder out (27f) so could that be the reason? I don't have any artificial lighting. Should I have some? Do they need heat lights? They are not youngsters. They are eating and drinking great and they are bright and NOT lethargic. PLEASE help me and my hens! Thanx!

 

[fried green eggs]

from Michigan. Congrats on the new chickens. I don't know why yours arn't laying but, if you type in the question in search line under Chicken Behav. and Egglaying you will prob. find lots of helpful information. Good Luck and hope they start laying soon for you.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, new hens often take several weeks to begin laying again after a move. So your two who haven't laid at all make more sense to me than the ones who laid upon the move and have now stopped.
Weather changes can affect egg laying. Artificial light shouldn't be needed, as the days are pretty long now. I would just give them time to adjust. Many birds take up to a month to begin laying. Try putting some eggs (wooden or even just storebought) in their nest boxes and show them. Maybe they will be inspired...
And welcome to the forum!

 

[stellacorina]

1st and foremost some eggs are supposed to be brown 2nd yes you should have a couple of heat lamps especially if it snows where you live 3rd if you don't have a coop build one and 4th those two won't lay eggs probably haven't layed any eggs at all yet more than likely they've not started laying eggs yet

 

[galanie]

Well, new hens often take several weeks to begin laying again after a move. So your two who haven't laid at all make more sense to me than the ones who laid upon the move and have now stopped.
Weather changes can affect egg laying.  Artificial light shouldn't be needed, as the days are pretty long now.  I would just give them time to adjust.  Many birds take up to a month to begin laying.  Try putting some eggs (wooden or even just storebought) in their nest boxes and show them. Maybe they will be inspired...
And welcome to the forum!

x2

And so long as they can get out of the weather, they're fine. Don't put up heat lights for anything over a few weeks old. As for lighting just for the light, you really shouldn't need any. Many of us never use artificial lights, and those that do, only do so in the winter.

 

[pacenme]

Thanx everyone for your advice! I am just keeping my fingers crossed that it is the cold weather. Today it is exactly 1 week since one of my brown layers laid its last egg. I started giving them some extra calcium. So we will see! Do you think it could also be b/c I don't have them loose? I know that may sound crazy! I am just trying to figure them out! LOL

Ashleystark- I know some eggs are supposed to be brown! I have 2 brown layers, 1 white and 1 blue. I just haven't had any white or blue eggs yet. There is no more snow and I HIGHLY doubt we will be getting any more. The temp here has dropped to 25f overnight and 50-60 during the day. Yes they have a coop w/ 2 nesting boxes and a pen. And I know the youngest is my brown layer and she is about a year and then some. Everyone else is most likely older. Just don't know how much?

 

[Dawn62]

I am new to raising chickens. We have two EE's, a RIR, and three astrolocks. I figured I could find out more about them online, but this thread is the only place online that uses the breed "astrolock." What exactly is an astrolock?

Thanks in advance,
Dawn

 

[Percheron chick]

Spellcheck doesn't know what an australorp is.

 

[Dawn62]

The chicks were bought at an outdoor flea market, and the seller was the one who called them astrolocks. I had never heard that before.