PLEASE HELP.. they won't lay

[sofiesmom0111]

Ok... here is my story...
I live in South Mississippi so we very rarely have COLD weather and I have 15 Rhode Island Reds and one RI rooster... they are 11 months and none have given me any eggs. I have done everything and anything that I know to do. I worm them once a month ( I used to do it once every couple of months, but someone told me they may be wormy.. why they aren't laying) I have tried feeding them starter crumbles and kitten food- to raise their protein, I have put them back on laying pellets and I also give them oyster shells. I feed them collard greens every other day for greenery (they are in a pen, not free roaming) and on the days they don't get collards, they get some corn. I have turned a light on them at night to see if I can get their cycle to start and now I am out of options. They have a 30 lb hanging feeder and get fresh water every day, their laying boxes have been ready for about 6 months and all they do is roost on them... they also have a nice roost. PLEASE HELP ME!!!

 

[southernhen]

I had the same problem as you are having but my birds were 7 months old. I started keeping food in front of them almost 24/7, wormed them, and I started giving them people vitamins (sams one a day) a half of one in their water every other day. All of a sudden I started getting eggs a month ago. I am currently getting about 8 eggs a day now.

 

[sofiesmom0111]

I'll try the vitamins... It is just weird because our chickens are almost a year old and not one egg yet. Thanks for the input... I appreciate any help I get

 

[jjthink]

When natural daylight hours increase, most hens will lay again. Their bodies rest during the shorter days of winter.
Tons of posts about this here on BYC if you want to read more.
JJ
(p.s. that seems to be very frequent worming....)

 

[Snakeoil]

I think worming them every month is waaaaaaaay too often, I worm with DE every 6 months.

 

[McGoo]

Gee I've never wormed my chickens ... ever and they are fine. Maybe you could give them a little bit of protein to help bolster them up a bit. I give mine a little cat food - may once a week. ... well a lot of good that does me since I've only got one laying right now - though I'm up in NY where there's snow and cold temps. But I do think the extra protein helps.

All the best with those eggs.

 

[sofiesmom0111]

O.k. Well I will try worming them once every 3 months... I'm telling yall, I will try anything... I have been trying the catfood and there's still no eggs, but I guess I will give them a couple more months and then we'll be eating chicken and dumplins... j/k about the chicken and dumplins but I will take them to the chicken sale if I don't get any eggs by the summer... I have put way too much time, money and effort into these ladies for them not to be giving me at least ONE egg!

on a positive note.... I got my first 2 duck eggs today!

 

[gritsar]

Cut way back on the worming. If you want to worm once a year would be fine. All animals raised on the land can carry a small load of worms no problem.
I'm not sure I understand about adding light at night? If you want to add light to encourage or increase production you should add it in the early morning hours to make their day longer, not at night.
Walmart sells a timer that can be used for outdoor applications for about $10.
So, say it's getting dark at 6 PM. You'd set the timer for the light to come on at 4 AM, to give them a total of 14 hrs of light.

 

[southernhen]

also my chickens started laying after they went through a molt. Not all of mine are laying yet and they are within a month apart. Just don't give up, they will start soon.

 

[sofiesmom0111]

I will try the timer for the light until days get longer... the only thing that the light has been successful at doing is keeping my rooster up... he crows in the middle of the night. I have only had it on at night for about 2 weeks now, and I only did it because a neighbor told me about it... I am going to try anything as long as it doesnt kill me or my ladies. I also am going to cut back on the worming. I appreciate everyone's responses... keep 'em comin' ya'll!