no eggs at 7 months

[rockwoodfamilyflock]

Dear BYC friends,
I started getting an egg a day from one of our hens (a black australorp) at about 5 1/2 weeks--life was good! Then per my previous post weeks ago, we lost two birds to a dog attack including my one reliable egg layer.

I currently have two hens- an Australorp and a Wellsumer-approx 7 months old, that have never laid an egg as far as I know.
I've added protein to their diet with sunflower seeds and scrambled eggs here and there, but still nothing.

Is it possible that the dog attack and obvious trauma could keep these girls from laying eggs? I've also wondered if our nesting boxes are lacking something. Only my australorp sits on her nest which is a large basket full of hay. The other "nesting box" is simply a 12" round galvanized trough with hay in the bottom. Neither seems to like that one. Am I supplying a decent environment and diet for laying eggs or have I missed something? I'm trying to be patient as I know that they typically lay when their supposed to, but so unclear about the factors involved. Is it just a matter of hormones or am I right in considering these other variables such as trauma, nesting boxes, and maybe light.

Thanks for any help. I couldn't do this without the BYC community!

 

[rockwoodfamilyflock]

Correction: Our flock consists of 5 chickens.... 1 Welsummer, 1 Black Australorp, and 3 baby chicks at just 2 weeks old!

 

[hudsonmama]

My 7 month olds aren't laying yet, either. I have 7 of them!

 

[dandelionheart]

My two EEs are a few days away from 7 months, no eggs, but are squatting... I would think the dog attack could spook them for a bit.

 

[egg proof]

I have 2 boxes for 7 hens. They all lay in the one that is farthest away from the window (the darkest) Maybe they are "modest" and your open nests are bothering them. Just a thought.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Homey don't play that. If my hens are over 8 months old and don't lay this is what happens to them:

They get a verbal warning first.

 

[dolly85]

You really should get a timer and some artificial lighting. A week and a half after lighting my coop at night and my chicken hatched in April began to lay!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:

I have to ask: How long does it take to pick all the feathers out of your teeth?

 

[Funky Feathers]

I pluck the bird after it is cooked.

 

[dandelionheart]

I was thinking of posting some chicken recipes in the coop... not that I could ever follow through. I'd just have to rehome them to someone who would probably stick them in a pot.

Of course if they made me mad enough, like some of the roosters that I read about on here... but we only have hens - and they ARE pretty good pets.