no eggs ever!

[weimlikeschicks]

Hey y'all,

I got a bunch of chickens last spring, 13 over all. Pretty much an unknown on the gender front.

So over the summer hawks, dogs, and disease ripped through my flock, reducing numbers by over 75% to just 3 birds.



Of the three remaining chickens, one is for sure a rooster, while the other two must definitely be hens. They are right around a year old and have never laid a single egg that I have seen. I am pretty much at a loss, although I am working daily towards figuring it out and improving their area.


Only thing is, the rooster like never ever crows (least when I can hear), and the hens make kinda weird squawking noises sometimes. Physically, no question though. He is almost double their size, tail feathers and the neck feathers, comb is much bigger etc.

Either way though, I have gotten absolutely zero eggs from the two supposed hens. I'm going to get new birds this spring now that I have fixed the things that lead to past losses, and I'm thinking I might just kill these for meat if they don't start producing instead of messing with introducing them to new birds.

 

[Catfish267]

What kind of chickens are they?

 

[carlye828]

Why don't you give them at least until you've got the new chicks ready to take their place. You are not that far from eggs, I'm sure.

Also, with young pullets you probably won't have much of an issue with the introductions. The only time I've had issues is when introducing older hens to other older hens. They had to get in a couple squabbles before they worked it all out, but it didn't take long. It was all over by the 2nd day.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Well I was for sure gonna wait till the younger birds were ready to move in, I guess I'm really just worried they are permanently messed up or something lol

 

[ladytoysdream]

What are you feeding your chickens ? How old are they ?

Sounds like they have been through quite a bit of stress.
Once they feel safe, they should start laying.

I recently added 16 hens that came from a stressed situation. I think they had a money flow problem and she was only feeding them corn. None were laying. And she has at least 4 big dogs and the dogs were bothering the chickens. We have had this group just 1 month now. Some started to lay at 3 weeks having them here.
I have seen at least 8 different hens from this group in the nest boxes. I am thinking the rest of them should be laying in the next month. Been really pushing the feed and treats into them.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

Your new birds did start laying? That's awesome and give me some hope. Mine definitely have been through allot.

I was out of state for a while and it was during this time everything went wrong, though I can't blame the person charged with their care... she works 60+ hour weeks. If a mixture of stress and improper diet will prevent chickens from beginning to lay then I'll assume that is the problem.

When I got back I bought layer and crushed a bunch of oyster shells and added that to the bucket.

I guess I am worried that somehow there is something that wwill permanently keep them from ever laying.