Pullers not laying

[Nordicone]

My neighbor and I bought 25 Americana chicks the end of March this year and split them, I took 12 and she took 13. Mine started laying at 41/2-5 months old and are producing very steadily, even with the shorter days(I have a light on a timer so they get 16 hours of light every day). My neighbors pullers, now 8+ months old, have never laid a single egg! Any ideas on what is going on? We both used chick feed, and then transitioned to Layeena.

 

[N F C]

Welcome to BYC!

Is your neighbor free ranging the birds? It's possible that there's a stash of eggs outside somewhere if she is.

 

[Nordicone]

She is not free ranging them. They are inside a fenced area which is about 10 x 20 feet and high fence so they could not fly out.

 

[pdirt]

How do your neighbor's chickens look compared to yours? Do they look stressed and unhealthy or do they look vibrant and healthy? Do they have full feathers or any bald patches? It sounds like their run is uncovered...perhaps if there are hawks around that could stress them if they only have a small coop to run to for protection. Has she also checked for lice, mites or ticks? Ours stay free of mites/lice during free-ranging months but have gotten them during winter when they are locked up in their coop/run.

My guess is that something was or is stressing the birds. And now, if they don't have supplemental light, they may have gone into a more dormant winter mode.

 

[Nordicone]

They all look healthy, no bald spots. full, fluffy feathers. The coop is among the woods so they get very little actual sunlight. I do not know about mites, etc. but will ask her. We do have a number of hawks in the area but they seem to be outside most of the time and have areas they can get under if needed.

 

[pdirt]

Does your coop get more sunlight than your neighbor's? Perhaps it's a sunlight issue. I know I am not as productive if I don't get enough sunlight!