no eggs

[j2had2]

I guess you want them to forage in the morning but you really should have feed available once they're up and about.

The eggs, watermelon, etc. are all nice bonuses but they don't need any of those especially if they already forage, and thus are eating less feed.

That may or may not affect laying directly but with shorter fall days it's important for them to be able to get all the nutrition they need in fewer hours. You mentioned adding extra lighting but 1 1/2 hours may not be enough if you live far away enough from the equator that you're under 12 hrs or so of daylight.

sorry i didnt make it clear but i actually do have scratch and peck feed available for them 24/7

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't think it is feed. I think it is the move and the time of year. I would not be surprised if you don't get some eggs soon, but probably a slower laying pattern than will emerge in the spring.

 

[j2had2]

I don't think it is feed. I think it is the move and the time of year. I would not be surprised if you don't get some eggs soon, but probably a slower laying pattern than will emerge in the spring.

okay hopefully

 

[K0k0shka]

hi thanks for the great response! no i have feed available in a dark brown bin 24/7 for them but i often still will come out and bring them 3 ish meals a day along with the 24/7 feed…. ill bring them lettuce heads and then bell pepper and vegetable scraps then sometimes more feed scattered across the floor in there run to peck at and then lastly like 5-6 hardboiled eggs to eat at which they absolutely love. But anyway yah! there scratch and peck feed is available 24:7

They may not be eating enough of the feed because they are filling up on other things like lettuce, peppers and watermelon, which are all high in volume but low in calories, with almost no protein. The treats are displacing the proper feed. Add ons like that should be no more than 10% of their diet, and it sounds like it’s a lot more than that. Even if they have feed available, they may be refusing to eat it because they are waiting for you to bring them more interesting/desirable things, which however are of lesser nutritional value. Cut the treats out entirely and let them eat only the 24/7 feed for a few weeks, to get them caught up and used to eating their feed. Then you can start reintroducing treats, but don’t overdo it - no more than 10%.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Its possible that the hatchery gave you younger chickens than they claimed. If they're a heritage breed sometimes they take a bit longer than production breeds.