No Eggs in 8 days

[jmngrose]

Well...........after noticing they had not been eating the oyster shells provided to them ( which btw did not look to me like normal oyster shells, chunks not slivers ). I started to crush up dried egg shells, which they are eating now. 2 days after that one laid an egg. A very small egg, and it was crushed. Not sure if a critter got to it or a hen. It was just crushed not consumed.

We shall see in the days to come.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I does sound like it may be a dietary problem...I buy the crushed oyster shell (they look like little rocks) and just offer it in a separate container that they can get too whenever they want. They know what they need. If yours are eating crushed egg shell, that helps too.
I also understand that they may not lay if they are not getting enough food. Protein is another factor for egg laying, right up there with calcium.

 

[D Ray]

yup I was wrong on the 21 days that hatch time.. then why is it a hen will have many eggs in her some not all when you butcher her? if 25 hrs is right, which the books say???

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Depending on the point at which the eggs are developing...having many eggs in them signifies a problem with the hen's egg laying system.
Some breeds/hens take longer than 25 hours. It's all based on hormones

 

[jpcode]

I was wondering about that as well. I dissected an older hen once and found a series of eggs in different stages of development. There was one about to be laid with a hard shell, two or three with just a membrane, and then lots that looked like different sizes of yokes.

 

[Pullet Surprise]

That would have been a problem ....not a good thing. At least it was a laying problem and most likely would have caused the demise of the hen.

 

[el pollo rey]

. 16# and still growing ? How old is he ? Looks great

 

[3 NH reds]

He is going to be 1 year this month. He does have great looks. I messed up on the last batch of eggs with the humidity being way to high so only one ranger hatched and it had mushy chick and died. But I am collecting eggs in a fridge and turning them so I hope to see a better hatch.

 

[el pollo rey]

He is going to be 1 year this month. He does have great looks. I messed up on the last batch of eggs with the humidity being way to high so only one ranger hatched and it had mushy chick and died. But I am collecting eggs in a fridge and turning them so I hope to see a better hatch.

. He is a monster at 16 # he has another year to fill out I find my nh Roos reach their full potential at 18-20 months he could go to 20 pounds that's a giant

 

[el pollo rey]

As for humidity I have good luck at 60-50 % the first 18 days out depending on the size of the air cell I adjust as neede at days 7 & 14