Still no eggs after months and months

[GottaLuvChicks]

Ok, I have had the Polish ladies for about 4 months now, and they are all about a year old at this point. Not one single egg from the buggers yet! The roo crows and is CERTAINLY a "man" around the coop, and the ladies are all making noise and SHOULD be ready to lay by now, right??
And what about these BR girls I got a little while back (10 hens)?? When I got them, they were all finishing up a molt, but that is done now. They all have proper lay boxes, and are about 18 months old. Their little Maran roo has finally decided to to become a man and has started his crowing habit the past few days.
I supplement their coops with light now that the weather has changed (on at 7am, off at 10pm), they eat better than I do most days (the 16% layer food from either TSC or the farm store, plus they are my "extra food trash cans" around here for anything and everything), get fresh water a few times a day, have good lay boxes (2 in the PL coop, 4 in the BR coop, all lined with pine shavings and straw). Their coops are WAY bigger than "needed," and they all have extra large runs that they are allowed to free range in all day.
So, any suggestions? I'm about to go grab a few pounds of crushed red pepper or something!! I love them all to death, but if they don't start laying soon, I'm not sure what to do. I am spending LOTS of time and money for them to be pets...

 

[LarryPQ]

You may need to look and see if they are hiding their eggs---or if you have an egg-eater. This means checking for eggs a few times a day--if only to catch someone trying to lay an egg.

Do you have pics of the polish? Could they possibly all be roos?

 

[GottaLuvChicks]

I have checked EVERYWHERE for eggs, not finding them anywhere. Unless they are burying them pretty deep, they are just not laying from what I can tell. As far as an egg-eater, wouldn't I find some sort of evidence (like egg shells)??
The PL girls are definitely hens, there is a HUGE difference in them and the roo. I do have pics of them in my picture gallery thing on here.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Seeing that you are in PA, i would be inclined to not get my hopes up too much until spring. Aren't y'all under a few feet of snow? Chickens don't like to lay - and certainly don't like to lay for the first time ever - when things are different than their normal.

Just a thought.

Whenever i want to jump start some laying, i lay hard on the protein. Calf manna supplement in their food or lots of scrambled eggs or fish or something.

Just another thought.

 

[GottaLuvChicks]

Quote:
The part of PA we are in actually got NO snow (thank God!!). We live in this weird little weather pocket just south of Harrisburg (south central PA basically). I know the BR girls were laying before we got them (got them from another member here), but they just decided to stop apparently.

I guess it is just driving me crazy because I put SO much into them (money, time, effort) and all I want are a few eggs!! My husband is starting to think chicken soup might taste good in all this cold though, and there are days when I think he might be right!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I was told that one might not expect eggs until spring following a molt that extends into winter. Perhaps that is what's up with your BR gals.

 

[Attila the Hen]

I feel foolish chiming in since I have only had chickens a few months and learned almost all I know on this forum. What about adequate calcium? Not suggesting this is the problem but it may be one of the factors involved.

 

[Judy]

My Leghorn, always a wonderful layer, finished molting about when it turned cold around here. I haven't seen an egg from her since the molt started.

 

[PepsNick]

My guess is they don't have enough protein and calcium. You might want to add more to their feed. Polish aren't great layers or very hardy, anyway.

 

[Boiler Maker]

If it makes you feel better, my bantam cochin went broody in May. She stopped laying, molted in October, and did not lay another egg until today (December 29).
We have had a very mild winter almost spring like with highs in the upper 60's.
I also have two 5 month olds (Exchequer Leghorn and a Welsummer) pullets I am waiting on. Aren't chickens fun