No eggs in over a month.

[Sesame]

I have 2 older hens and 10 pullets. 4 of them are about 26 weeks, the others are somewhere around 18-20 weeks. I also have 4 roosters that I can't wait to get rid of.

Not one of them is laying. I had 3 hens that were laying and one died, I don't know why but since she died there hasn't been any eggs.

It was really hot and humid here and I chalked it up to that but it's cooled off in the last few weeks and nothing. Food is the same. Most days they get out in the grass but they stay close because it's only for a few hours and I haven't seen any eggs anywhere. When they were laying before, they always went back to the coop to lay.

I also have 2 silkies that were laying. One went broody, the other stopped laying too and now neither one of them is laying eggs.

I'm pretty sure nothing is getting in the coop. The kids check it throughout the day so eggs would be pretty hard to miss if there were any.

Any ideas? They are costing a fortune to feed and at the moment I'm getting nothing in return which is getting pretty frustrating.

 

[OKbirdwatcher]

Sesame,

You're not alone. See other thread.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

It's frustrating, I know. I'm not getting any eggs right now, either. It's possible that your older birds have started to molt. Mine have definitely done that. Feathers are everywhere. The days are getting shorter, even though we still think it's summer. This triggers the molt.

Your 26-week-old pullets should be laying, although I'm not sure if you said they were laying before. Once pullets get started, they don't stop for quite a long time. Your other pullets are still a bit young. Are you sure they are at POL? Maybe they just need a little more time. I have two Barnevelders who are 18 weeks old, and they are nowhere near ready to lay. No signs of red combs or wattles. No squatting. Patience is the name of the game when you are waiting for that first egg.

I'd be getting rid of those roos. They eat lots of feed and give little in return, unless you're hatching eggs.

Good luck!

 

[Sesame]

The younger ones I don't expect anything from but the older ones have red combs, wattles, etc. They've never laid. Well there was one small egg that I thought might be a pullet egg but I wasn't sure because one of the hens sometimes lays eggs on the small side.

I'm seriously considering chicken dinner over having to feed them for nothing all winter lol.

I'll look for the other thread.