I'm at the 15.5 week mark with a bunch of hens, but I also have three older hens - two are one year old, one is two. I've had them almost a month, and the two year old lays almost daily(5 per week), the other two - ONE egg. Total. One is a black sex link, one is a Light Brahma.
We thought it was because they didn't have nest boxes....hubby built some nice ones two weeks ago and put them in. Minimal interest. Maybe not enough calcium (everyone is on flockraiser right now), got some oyster shell. Nothing. Put some easter eggs in, a little interest that faded fast.
A friend said they needed straw. Didn't want to go out to hunt down one bale of straw, so I got my trusty shears and nipped the long dry stalks of wild grasses on the property line (surrounded by grass field). Chopped it into 6" sections, and split the bag into two of the next boxes.
Just went and checked, and the black sex link has decided there wasn't enough in the last box, so has moved ALL of the dry grass and has made a nest and is sitting on two easter eggs. She briefly stood up and I saw one had broken open, so I went to reach for it, expecting her to take off, and she just waited for me and sat back down again
The light bramha is standing on the edge, waiting for her to move now too LOL!
I'll be getting some loose straw from my brother probably today to fill all the boxes, though I know they will probably only want the one, but at least we have progress!!
(It's also been very hot here as well, which I'm sure is contributing to egglessness.)
We thought it was because they didn't have nest boxes....hubby built some nice ones two weeks ago and put them in. Minimal interest. Maybe not enough calcium (everyone is on flockraiser right now), got some oyster shell. Nothing. Put some easter eggs in, a little interest that faded fast.
A friend said they needed straw. Didn't want to go out to hunt down one bale of straw, so I got my trusty shears and nipped the long dry stalks of wild grasses on the property line (surrounded by grass field). Chopped it into 6" sections, and split the bag into two of the next boxes.
Just went and checked, and the black sex link has decided there wasn't enough in the last box, so has moved ALL of the dry grass and has made a nest and is sitting on two easter eggs. She briefly stood up and I saw one had broken open, so I went to reach for it, expecting her to take off, and she just waited for me and sat back down again
I'll be getting some loose straw from my brother probably today to fill all the boxes, though I know they will probably only want the one, but at least we have progress!!
(It's also been very hot here as well, which I'm sure is contributing to egglessness.)
