Want to pull my hear of my head, don't know what is going on..........

[Olekushka123]

I already asked this question, but nothing changed since then. I have the following breeds Wellsummers, Barnevelders, Partridge Rocks, Black Australorps and Silver Cuckoo Marans. They are exactly 37 weeks old. Didn't see a single egg out of them. What is going on? I did put so much good quality feed and time and nothing? I'm frustrated and comfused. Every morning when I go to feed them I'm so tempted to open the gate and let them loose in the forest. Can anybody see something I don't? They have nice hen house. Not stress. Also there are no eggs found in the bushes or tall grass. What should I do? Butcher them?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most of those breeds are bred for the color of the eggs or for dual purpose, they are not egg laying breeds which can start around 20 weeks, your breeds, depending on the source and who bred them for what, will start laying anywhere from 5-8 months. All chickens are different and they all start laying at different times and will lay different amounts each weak, perhaps next time you should get purely egg laying breeds. I have always found it to be easier and cheaper to buy eggs than to hope for eggs at a certain time. Hopefully your will start soon. Sorry you are so frustrated.

 

[Olekushka123]

Thanks for your reply. Last year was my first year having chickens. I ordered top 5 heritage egg layers and they did fantastic job! This year, I don't know what got in to me..........and "what kind of bug bit me".

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always I want one of those and one of these, last year for the first time in many years I bought some egg laying breeds and they actually have earned their keep, I still have a bunch that will never earn anything, but I just enjoy looking at most of them. It seems to help to complain about your hens not laying, usually they will start laying not long after, so hopefully they follow that rule.

 

[song of joy]

Have you tried keeping them confined to the coop and run for a week? That way you could be sure they're not hiding eggs. A good quality feed should have them laying by now, unless they're eating too many other things that are nutrient-poor. I've had good results using an all-flock feed (20% protein) in combination with free-ranging.

 

[Olekushka123]

No, they are not hiding the eggs. I tried to keep them in the hen house but they turn the nests in to a pure mess. They dig and dig and dig. They take all hey out of and the older hens cannot go and lay eggs. This is another question I wanted to ask. How to keep young pullets not to dig in the nests?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's just something some do, they do knock it off after a bit, yours are close if they are digging in the boxes.

 

[Olekushka123]

Close to what? Laying?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes laying, they tend to goof around in the boxes up to a week or two before they start laying.

 

[shortgrass]

I would think at least the Australorps and Rocks woukd have been laying by now! 37 weeks?

Maybe stalking the fence line with a carving knife would get the point across


They should be at least squatting, or singing, and their combs should be bright red; the digging is a really good sign, though!

No egg eaters I hope....