No eggs for months....?

[DLCShark]

Okay chicken experts,

It's been over 4 months since I've gotten a single egg from my flock. I was getting 8 or so a day out of a flock of 13. There's a Rooster(SLW) in with the ladies and plenty of space so there's shouldn't be much pressure from him if any. They have two feeder which I keep full of layer pellets and corn. One waterer and two roosting areas. I recently added a heat lamp(red) due to my open coop design(repurposed dog kennels) and the low temps. What else can I do to better the chances for eggs?

I'm so discouraged that I'm thinking about starting a whole new flock. Help!!!

 

[Bridebeliever]

Is this their second winter or first? Have they, or are they going through a molt?

 

[chicklover 1998]

How old are they, could it be that they are out of their egg laying years or are they eating eggs or are they in/coming out of a moult?

 

[DLCShark]

Is this their second winter or first? Have they, or are they going through a molt?

Second winter for 3 of them. The others I added last spring/summer. I haven't seen any evidence of molt. I thought the older few were in molt early on because they had a few feathers lost in patches but that was about it.

 

[DLCShark]

How old are they, could it be that they are out of their egg laying years or are they eating eggs or are they in/coming out of a moult?

3 are going on 2 years of age. That includes 2 black sex links and one RIR.

The others are going on 1yr. That's a few leghorns, SLW, and a golden something(she was in the pullet box at TSC).

 

[Bridebeliever]

I was just going to ask the breeds.

What food are they currently on? My Chocolate Orpington came into lay at 7 months old, layed for a month and then took 2 months off. 4 months does sound like a long time for egg vacation.

What area are you in? I would remove the corn and only give them layer pellets for now. Corn shouldn't bee free choice anyway since it doesn't have enough nutrition in it and they will eat that before their food any day.

Other question is when did they begin laying and when did they stop?

 

[DLCShark]

I was just going to ask the breeds.

What food are they currently on? My Chocolate Orpington came into lay at 7 months old, layed for a month and then took 2 months off. 4 months does sound like a long time for egg vacation.

What area are you in? I would remove the corn and only give them layer pellets for now. Corn shouldn't bee free choice anyway since it doesn't have enough nutrition in it and they will eat that before their food any day.

Other question is when did they begin laying and when did they stop?

They are on layer pellets with just regular whole corn mixed. The pellets is from Ware Milling in either 18% or 22% depending on which one they have available at my local feed store that day. I try to get the higher protein when I can. The corn to feed ratio is 3 to 1 and I can easily go to straight feed with no issues. I'm in south Mississippi where we just got our first real taste of cold weather. The 2 year olds start laying right on time at the 18-22 week old mark(as soon as I removed the roosters). The younger ones I didn't really pay as close attention to. The leghorns I purchased already fully feathered and they started laying about 2.5 months after I got them. I purchased the SLW last summer and was slow to integrate them into the flock and when I did I didn't notice any jump in egg production so I don't truly know if they did or not. I think my little golden bird was laying a creamy colored egg but she only laid a hand full of those before she stopped. She was a summer purchase as well.

 

[Bridebeliever]

Hmmm...Your protein about in your feed looks good but maybe not high enough for right now, but I would still remove the corn from it. By adding corn you are actually lowering the protein level in your overall feed. Not that corn doesn't have protein but overall it has much less than the feed pellets. They may be in need of more protein though. 22% would definitely be better. You can still throw a cup of corn to the flock for scratching once per day...but not in the morning when they will wake up and fill their crops with their feed. I do think that 4 months is a long time but I would give them another month (with no corn in their feed) before you give up on them!

 

[appps]

I went a good 3 months in our Autumn,winter, eggs had become a standard item on my shopping list, but they did eventually start again.

I would just rule out something stealing/eating the eggs though by putting a bought one in the nest for 24 hrs to see if it vanishes.

If they free range I would lock them in their run for a few days in case they have found somewhere more interesting to lay.

 

[DLCShark]

Hmmm...Your protein about in your feed looks good but maybe not high enough for right now, but I would still remove the corn from it. By adding corn you are actually lowering the protein level in your overall feed. Not that corn doesn't have protein but overall it has much less than the feed pellets. They may be in need of more protein though. 22% would definitely be better. You can still throw a cup of corn to the flock for scratching once per day...but not in the morning when they will wake up and fill their crops with their feed. I do think that 4 months is a long time but I would give them another month (with no corn in their feed) before you give up on them!

Will do...I need the corn for deer pictures anyway.

Thank you I will keep you posted. In the mean time I will be in the market for some new babies.