No eggs yet?

[misspea78]

So ... I've read the article about why chickens aren't laying yet ... and I still can't seem to fix my issue.

Here's the info ... if anyone can help, awesome ...

3 chickens, red-crosses, that I hatched in an incubator last June. (received the eggs from a friend.) So they are about 43 weeks now. I do not THINK they are roosters ... no crowing ... and they all look the same ... like hens ... nothing like their rooster dad.

They "matured" over the winter, we're in CT, so daylight is low and I didn't expect eggs until Spring.

I've made sure they have plenty of layer feed and fresh water. They get 12+ hours of light now. They are in a coop I bought online; but they spend time wandering together in the yard every day, eating bugs and exploring. I don't see any signs of stress. They are happy, silly, curious birds. Their feathers are nice and shiny ... eyes are bright ... wattles and combs have gotten red and developed.

A friend recommended an oyster shell supplement. So I'll buy that today. I just read an article about egg eaters. Is this possible? That I never saw even a shell fragment?

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Marilyn

 

[Ridgerunner]

That just doesn't make sense. You should be getting eggs. Are you absolutely sure they are not roosters? Three roosters together with no hens around to argue over would act practically the same as three hens together.

Something eating the eggs is possible. It could possibly be the chickens but you should find some evidence. There are a lot of other animals that would eat the eggs. Some would leave evidence but some would not. I don't think it is a snake. I've had snakes eat eggs and they usually come back every two or three days, not every day. Possums and skunks would almost certainly leave evidence. A raccoon might carry the egg off. Foxes or coyotes would probably leave no evidence but you would think they would also go after the chickens. For it to be this regular and you to never have seen an egg makes me wonder if it is any of them. Them being that regular and during daytime does not sound like a wild animal.

My guesses are that they are hiding a nest. Or a human is taking the eggs and leaving no evidence. Or do you have a family dog that has access. Often it is the family pet doing something like this.

You might try locking them in the coop for a day or two to see if eggs show up. This could mean they are hiding a nest or that something has access and is eating them.

Another tactic. Put a store-bought egg out there and see if it disappears. That won't necessarily tell you what is doing it but at least you would have narrowed it down.

Also look at their vents. If the hen's vent is sort of open and moist, she is probably laying. If it is tight and dry, she is not laying.

This can be a hard one. Good luck!!

 

[misspea78]

Guess what ... I haven't checked the girls myself for the last few days ... I had a stomach virus ... so my boyfriend had been feeding/watering them ... just when I start to really worry ... I go out to check today after reading the reply to my post ... 5 EGGS!!!! I guess he wasn't really paying attention to the nest boxes. I almost cried ... and tried to hug them... but they weren't as excited as me about that ... so I settled for petting them and letting them scrape around in a leaf pile for worms to their little hearts' content!!

THANKS SO MUCH ANYWAY for getting back to me. I am so glad to realize they are healthy hens after all ...