What keeps hens from wanting to lay eggs?

[Jimvone]

We where given a flock and thought we would be getting mainly hens well we found that we have 6 roosters and 7 hens. They are a mixed group of bantams and we have no idea how to encourage them to lay. We know they do lay the smaller eggs but at this point we have nothing, what should we do to encourage them to lay? We have had them for a week now and have not seen the first sign of egg laying activity.

 

[sewchick]

I would say rig up a light at night. Are they old enough to lay eggs? Some take longer than others. OOO that be a loto roos. Maybe the hens are overwhelmed.

 

[pinkrblu]

How old are the chickens? And what breed? Each chicken is an individual and they don't all mature at the same rate. If they are free-ranged at all, and they were laying before you got them, you may have to do some detective work to discover where they are hiding there eggs.
If they weren't laying yet, read some of the other threads here to learn the signs of a hen ready to lay.

 

[bugglesmommy]

That is WAAYYYYY too many roosters for 7 hens. You should rehome or eat 5 of them. You only need 1 roo for that number of hens. Too many roosters will cause serious over-mating of the hens. This will make them miserable and could even kill them. Stressed out hens will not lay as well.

 

[K Spot]

That is WAAYYYYY too many roosters for 7 hens. You should rehome or eat 5 of them. You only need 1 roo for that number of hens. Too many roosters will cause serious over-mating of the hens. This will make them miserable and could even kill them. Stressed out hens will not lay as well.

x2