No Eggs!!!!! I am about to lose my mind!!!!!

[sc-chick617]

I have 5, eight month old hens (two sex links, two Aracaunas, and a buff orp). I also have 12 RIR that are 6 months old I raised them from biddies. I gave them Purina starter until they were five months, then switched them to Purina Layena. I do give them a lot of our left overs. They have a huge coop and run. The nest boxes are not all that pretty and I am going to work on that today. I have given them crushed oyster shells. I am just very sad to not see one single egg. Can anyone help me?????

 

[CMV]

Lay off on the treats and look for places they may be hiding eggs. You should be getting eggs. Could someone/something be stealing them?

 

[droopy]

you sure they aren't laying somewhere you haven't found yet???

 

[sc-chick617]

No they are definately not hiding them. I have looked absolutely everywhere. I do give them a lot and i mean a lot of scraps.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Hmmmm, you definitely should be getting eggs and quite a few of them.

Do they free range at all? If they do, I would absolutely guarantee that there is a nest somewhere of dozens of eggs. I would also lay off the treats, treats should equate to only a small portion of what they eat. If you can find the time, I would spend some time observing them for a day to hopefully detect a hidden nest or find out if you have an egg eater in the crowd. Good luck!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Have any of them laid eggs before now? I have had some that don't lay until 35 weeks or more. That, or there's a big stash of eggs somewhere!

Or.... it may be the heat. It's been brutal where you are. Then again, you may be feeding rat snakes. We've had a zillion this year. Big time egg thieves!

 

[mgw]

tou should have eggs by now, or maybe just a bunch of spoiled free loaders, ours should lay anytime & they are spoiled also. Hope this isnt a trend lol.

 

[BarefootMom]

Do you have any other laying hens? I have heard that they don't always know what the boxes are for- and some people will put golf balls in the nest or you can use decorative eggs, or find someone that has some goose egg gourds. maybe they just need some lessons.

 

[bywaterdog]

If its not too hot try leaving them in their coop for a day or two, if any are laying you will know. Do you have "fake eggs" in the nests?

Good luck,


Or you could wave a box of shake-and-bake at them.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I would definitely cut waaaay back on the treats until they start to cough up the goods. You could try some golf balls in the nests and try to inspire them that way.

I have a one year old Silkie who has never laid an egg either, so I understand your frustration. Hang in there, they can't hold out forever!