No Eggs in 8 days

[jmngrose]

Still NO EGGS!!!!!!!! So frustrated !!!!!! I need egg layers not pet chickens. How long should I ride this out before I give them away and start over????????

 

[jmngrose]

25 days total now!

 

[3 NH reds]

I had it around 55% but I guess that was more than needed. next time I may try a dry incubate for days 1-18.

As far as the no eggs I would build a nesting box where the eggs roll away and the birds can't get to them, when mine eat eggs they eat all the shell so no evidence

 

[el pollo rey]

I had it around 55% but I guess that was more than needed. next time I may try a dry incubate for days 1-18.

As far as the no eggs I would build a nesting box where the eggs roll away and the birds can't get to them, when mine eat eggs they eat all the shell so no evidence

. Egg eaters that consume shells are usually calcium deficient , increase the amount of calcium in the diet and place golf balls in nest boxes to attempt to stop egg breaking behavior due to curiosity if it does not stop it is usually one bird responsible locate the hen and cull from the flock if it will not stop eating eggs good luck

 

[farmin4fun]

I'm just gonna throw some ideas out for you to consider. I prefer to keep my chickens environment as natural as possible so I would stop all use of DE as they wouldn't get any of that in the wild. If it is the wrong grade or if they are ingesting too much of it, I've heard that can cause issues.

I would also start a deep litter method to help with the waste. If you are unfamiliar with the deep litter method, the idea is to put about 6 inches or so of wood shavings down on the floor of the coop. You may need to stir in the poop every couple days to a week as needed. The shavings will keep your litter dry and will actually begin to compost the manure for you. Add another inch or two of shavings every month or 2 as needed to keep your litter dry. You can completely clean out your coop every 6 months to a year as needed. I've had mine in place for a year. I clean it out every spring and use it in my garden.

Also, how many hours of daylight are your chickens getting per day? The best laying environment provides about 15 or 16 hours of daylight per day. If you closed the door of a windowless coop at night and didn't open it till noon the next day, this would cause issues with laying. Are you feeding them a laying pellet or mash. This would help provide them with the calcium they need for laying.

Also a hen who is laying will generally have a bright red comb and waddles. This indicates good health. If this is not the case then your hens are either not in good health or are possibly too old and beyond laying age. Good luck!!

 

[jmngrose]

Why deep litter method? I clean the coop everyday, I don't want it to smell.

Yes Lay mash.

Sunlight, from sun up to sun set.

Their not eating the eggs, I am on constant watch. They are backyard chickens, I have just two. The OG owner promised they were just over a year old.....Stopped DE right after they stopped laying.





STUMPED.

 

[jmngrose]

I have porcelain eggs in the nesting box. And provide plenty of egg and oyster shells. Should I give a calcium supplement ?

 

[el pollo rey]

I have porcelain eggs in the nesting box.  And provide plenty of egg and oyster shells.  Should I give a calcium supplement ?

no the oyster shell at free choice should be sufficient , light is critical as it stimulates the pituitary gland to increase reproductive hormones and increase egg production as far as DE not a fan at all never use I dust my flock every three months to control fleas and lice with good results

 

[jmngrose]

Maybe the B*#%H sold me old hens??????? Because I'm doing everything right. How can I tell if they are young 1 year 4 months as she stated or old????

 

[zu!]

I am following your saga with interest as my own experience mirrors yours!

I bought two hens that the owner said were excellent layers, giving her lots of eggs daily. They did not lay on the first day we brought them to their new coop at our house. The 2nd day, they laid one "pink" egg and one with soft shell that was broken. The 3rd day, we had TWO eggs! The 4th day, one, laid in the run. The 5th day, one in the nesting box. And since then, no eggs at all.

Like you, I noticed that the hens are going to the nesting boxes right as soon as they get into the coop. The two of them snuggle up to each other and go to sleep there, leaving the nesting box full of poop the next morning, but no eggs. I made extra roosts in the coop, but they don't seem to want to sleep there, same as yours.

I thought my roost was too high (24 inches), but one night, I caught ONE hen sitting on the HIGHER roost, whilst the other sat in the nesting box The lower roos has never been sat on, as evidenced by the lack of poop there, and neither has the higher roost. I think one hen slept on the roost for a total of one night, based on poop observations.

What gives? Do I need to make more roosts?