No eggs

[Squirreliegirl53]

I have 3 Rode island red hens and a buff orphington rooster. I got the hens from my daughter and they were laying when I got them. They are about a year and a half old but they haven’t laid an egg since I got them 3 months ago. I feed them layer crumbles and give them fresh water every day and vegetable scraps. They have a hen house with nest boxes enough for 4 or 5 hens and a large 12ft.X14ft. pen. What could be the reason they aren’t laying? I live in north Florida and the weather isn’t too cold and it’s not extremely hot. I don’t have any ideas why they aren’t laying.

 

[hysop]

How much food are you feeding them?

 

[Squirreliegirl53]

2 cups twice a day

 

[Squirreliegirl53]

Plus veggie scraps and crushed egg shells

 

[hysop]

Each laying hen needs at least 3/4 cups of feed. But I also recently heard that it’s best to have a feeder available at all times for them to access all day long.

 

[hysop]

Oh just reread your message. You said 2 cups twice a day. Well that’s good, but like I said I recently learned from another BYC member that it’s best to leave access to feed all day.

 

[Squirreliegirl53]

I’ve had chickens before these and have fed them the same way and they all laid eggs. I don’t think they aren’t getting enough food.

 

[Squirreliegirl53]

The rooster is about a year old and he’s mean to the hens, he tries to take all the food so I feed them in 2 different dishes so he can’t take it all. He doesn’t try to breed with the hens only picks at them.He’s not always mean but sometimes.

 

[hysop]

The rooster is about a year old and he’s mean to the hens, he tries to take all the food so I feed them in 2 different dishes so he can’t take it all. He doesn’t try to breed with the hens only picks at them.He’s not always mean but sometimes.

Have you considered giving him away? 4 hens to 1 rooster is too little. or adding to your flock so it’s closer to 10 hens to 1 rooster?

 

[hysop]

Just checking back to see if you’ve seen a change in your chickens. If the rooster is the potential problem do you think you could separate him for a week to see if there are any changes?