no eggs in 45 days

[ijon1]

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[littlelemon]

Well, my Delawares don't lay over the winter. They did the first winter when they were still pullets, but now they stop in the fall during their molt just like all my other hens, and don't start up again until spring. I honestly don't think that I can trick my birds into laying unless I use lights, which I don't want to do. I think that letting them rest in the winter will keep them producing well the rest of the year for a good, long time. It would be nice to have winter eggs though

 

[topeka]

16 hours of light

If that doesn't work try increasing the protein level in their diet to 21+% for 10 days. My brother in law got his chickens to break out of their (no egg) rut with these 2 changes.

Worth a try?

 

[granmahen]

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Well, I do have a rhode island and a new hampshire. Last winter everyone kept laying, this year all had a major moult and then quit on me completely. All have feathered in and lo and behold I've got an egg today (1/28/10) from my australorp of all things. Will be eager awaiting the others. (They tend to try to keep up with each other. Kinda like people, huh? My others are a delaware and a white leghorn. We'll see who's next to deliver. We're getting 10:22 hours of daylight now in central CA.

 

[embkm]

I used Henderson's chart to pick my breeds. I have an Orp, Barred Rock, and a RIR. We haven't seen an egg from them or the EEers since the middle of September. And they are all less than a year old! They dont free range, so no chance of hidden nests.

 

[rebbetzin]

HMMMM.... My hens (4, 2 Buff Orpingtons and 2 Barred Rocks) have given me about 2 eggs a day all winter so far. It might be because we have warmer weather here?

 

[saladin]

Quote:
If you are using hatchery stock (depending on the hatchery of course) then you can't rely on any chart because the birds are not necessarily exactly what they are supposed to be. saladin

 

[ghulst]

If you want eggs buy chickens bred for egg production. I work in a hatchery and see the production. All the breeds that have been listed on the above messages wouldn't cut it for production. They are only petty. I would suggest you try Isa Browns . You will get at least 300 eggs a year out of them. They are avaible at www.townlinehatchery.com

 

[jullom]

I read on some post here about increasing the protein in their diet and that cat food is high in protein. I took the advice and have been putting a handful of cat food in with their layer crumbles for about 2 weeks. We went from getting 5-6 eggs a day to 7-8. this is out of 10 hens, Isa browns and RIR. Nothing else changed, still had same light on timer, etc...