Some of my girls still aren't laying and the ones who did stopped.

SarahoftheChick

In the Brooder
5 Years
Apr 23, 2014
26
2
36
Ok, so I'm not sure if anything can be done at this point. Our back gate broke so we had to pen all of our chickens up in a space that was probably too small for them all. We also had my parents chickens until recently. 14 in total. 4 started laying, but haven't given any eggs in at least a week. None of the others have started laying yet. They were hatched in March.

Now that they have more room, due to extending the run and moving my parents chickens into their own coop, will they start laying? I've also noticed that because it's now fall, the placement of the coop is in total shade all day long. Could overcrowding or lack of sun cause them to just not lay? Am I too late and they will never lay?
 
Ok, so I'm not sure if anything can be done at this point. Our back gate broke so we had to pen all of our chickens up in a space that was probably too small for them all. We also had my parents chickens until recently. 14 in total. 4 started laying, but haven't given any eggs in at least a week. None of the others have started laying yet. They were hatched in March.

Now that they have more room, due to extending the run and moving my parents chickens into their own coop, will they start laying? I've also noticed that because it's now fall, the placement of the coop is in total shade all day long. Could overcrowding or lack of sun cause them to just not lay? Am I too late and they will never lay?
It sounds from your post that your chickens have been stressed out from various angles. First they had your parents birds, then they were moved...you had to put them in a tight enclosure for some time...etc. This may very well have thrown them off.

Do any of your girls do the "submissive squat" yet? That is always a clear sign they are getting close to lay. As @ChickenCanoe said the shorter days are a factor this time of year, and they could also be getting ready to molt for the season...are you seeing more loose feathers than normal?
 
They seem pretty healthy, except for the laying... They have been on layer feed for almost 2 months because that's when the first ladies started laying. We don't have an actual door from the coop to the run because it's all enclosed and it's been so hot, so they've had pretty much unrestricted access to outside whenever they want.
 
So what you're saying is, even though they started laying, I shouldn't be feeding them all layer? I have no way of separating the layers from the non layers. I assumed, but the name, you feed them layer when they start laying.
 
This is what the TSC website says:

Layer Feeds

Layer feeds are designed to provide optimum nutrition for birds laying eggs for consumption. Layer feeds contain 16% protein and have increased levels of Calcium, for proper shell development. Layer feeds should be fed starting around 18 weeks of age, or when the first egg is laid, whichever comes first.
My chickens were over 18 weeks when I started feeding them layer.
 
That's absolutely correct for a flock that all start laying at the same time. Commercial feeds were designed for commercial poultry operations. Most backyard people have a few chickens that start laying at the same time because they're the same age so the same rules apply.
In reality, backyard chicken people don't put their pullets on a strict lighting program that commercial operations do. The average flock, especially those reaching POL in autumn may take months longer to begin producing egg shells which is what the 4% calcium in layer is for.
One never needs to switch to layer if they offer large particle oyster shell in a separate container so those actively laying can choose what they need.
 

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