Weeks after molting and still no eggs...how long?

I have no personal experience, but have done some reading here. I have read it can take 3 months to get eggs again. I've also read that alfalfa can get them going. Keep us posted!

 

i hear ya. I have 11 hens and get one egg a week. *sigh*. even then I only ever got five eggs a day AT THE MOST in the summer. Im beginning to think that theyre all freeloaders. psh.

in fact, just this morning i had to have only ONE fried egg because i ran out!

 

It's the shortness of the days this time of year. You combine that with a molt they probably won't start laying till the days get longer.

 

3 months to get laying? That has not been my experience. My Dels barely skip a beat when they molt.

As for Lynette? I knew a Lynette once and she was the laziest thing, so that doesn't surprise me. You might want to change her name to Elizabeth. She's a hard worker.

I would increase the protein and lay off the treats. You want them to have a nutritionally balanced diet.

My management regimen is to keep them on laying pellets and a few treats each day. I also give light vitamin water once a month or so. Also some AVC once or twice a month. I only leave the water for a day and then switch back to plain water. I might leave it for a second day but not usually. Scratch contains some BOSS but not overly so.

I notice that if I over do the treats I might get and egg with a funny shell or start getting thinned shelled eggs. Also they don't eat as much of the layer pellets.

I advise holding off on the treats and let them eat just pellets for a while. Also be sure they have both "soluble" and "insoluble" grit on hand.

Hope they pick up soon,

Rancher

 

Had a great laugh this morning over the name change idea!

I have 10 girls, all different breeds, all went through a molt Sept-Nov and so far 4 of them are laying again. The other 6 still have pink combs. I normally free range every day but a few weeks ago I locked them all up due to a hawk taking one of my bantams, and I really think it helped to get them on a diet of layer crumbles only with a few treats (mostly black sunflower seeds and a handful of scratch) every day. Of course the downside is I am spending more on crumbles as they eat a lot more of it now that they aren't free ranging, but in the long run I am thinking it is better for them, plus it has helped me to see what is going on with each one and I have been able to spot some issues, but that is for another thread!

CJ

 

I went through a molt this year. Started in August. Butchered some, hatched a few, and just this month (December) started getting a reasonable amount of eggs. I have older hens (3 years) so maybe that is why it is taking them so long. I will tell you this, those old hens make the BEST broth and chicken and noodles.

 

Quote:X10 these two events doesn't lend itself to the impatients common 4 hen egg-a-holics, you just have to wait, and wait, and wait. It's just a bad time of year but to be honest your hen's are in their proper cycle as it should be, it's the way of nature. take a deep breath you'll be fine.