Still not laying -- any suggestions?

[dsegel]

Hi all,

I've had 6 Leghorns who are about 6-7 months old. I got them on October 21st - 5 weeks ago. When I got them, I know that some of the other chickens (from the same "batch") were laying. I figured it would take them a while to get adjusted, but still nothing. They are "free range" in a big barn. They mostly stick around the barn--either in the barn or immediately around the barn. There are nest boxes inside the barn. They are not laying anywhere outside the barn, I am certain. I am feeding them good layer feed and oyster shell, plus scraps here and there.

It has turned cold here (20's at night and high 40's day) and the sunrise is about 7 am and sunset around 5 pm. There are no lights in the barn. Does anyone think that putting a heat lamp/light in the barn at night might help?

There's no such thing as chickens (at least Leghorn chickens) who never lay is there?

Any other suggestions for me?

Losing hope!

Denise in SW PA

 

[FrozenChicken]

Putting some light in your barn would help for sure as hens tend to stop laying when days get too short. Cold tempertures in your barn also could a factor. Leghorns themselves are not as winter hardy as say Rhode Island Reds.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I have a heat lamp that comes on to lenghten the day out to 16 hours. Since I did that, 4 of my girls started laying, and they are just 20 weeks old today. Also, leghorns don't like anything that stresses them out. They will stop laying if they get stressed

 

[arlee453]

Are you positively SURE they aren't hiding their eggs?

If not, then patience, patience, patience.... and lighting the coop.

I'd use a red light or ceramic lamp if you are wanting to add heat, and then put a white light on a timer to come on early in the morning and to go off once the sun is up.

That way they will go to bed at the regular time and it won't mess up their diurnal clock like light on 24x7 might.

Hope you get those first eggs soon!!

 

[CarriBrown]

Maybe you ought to get Purple Chicken over there to sweet talk them...

 

[howlingwoodsfarm]

Hello,
I have leghorns and they were laying everyday and then when it turned cold here a few weeks ago, and the days got shorter they practically stopped laying, I put a 90 watt flood light on a timer in their coop to come on at 3am, and since it gets dark here around 4pm, they get 13 hours of light, they have since all started to lay again and it has been down to 10 degrees, average 18 degrees everynight for the past few weeks. I say add a light. It could be something else making them not lay but I would start with a light. GOOD LUCK!

Heather

 

[s6bee]

I am dealing with the same thing, but mine have never layed yet. They just turned 21 wks old. I have 1 BR, 1 Deleware, 1 Austrolorp, and 2 SLW. They are healthy, and eating like crazy. I give them everything they need and then some w/o it being junk. We have decided to put in a cheap light that takes up to a 100 watt light bulb. We bought those "reveal" lights that simulate daylight so I hope that works. We also have them in a chicken tractor so the coop is not that large. I am hoping the light will do the trick. How cold is too cold in the coop for them to not lay? We have it insulated but the door is open during the day for them to come and go as they please. If we have to do much more and not get any eggs, I think my hubby will draw that line and we'll have to just deal w/o eggs. I'm sure it will be exciting when we do get our fist egg, but at the rate we are going, it certainly aint cheaper!!

 

[SpottedCrow]

You have heavy breeds,s6bee...you may not get eggs til spring.

Denise, have you noticed any feathers laying around...they should be doing another moult before they're a year old.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Patience.

It took mine 6 months to lay and still only one of the five has started.

 

[dsegel]

Quote:
Spotted Crow, Wow, there are a lot of feathers around.

I never thought they'd be molting at 6 months!

Does that mean they won't lay?