My 30 some girls have not laid any eggs for well over 3 months. They vary in breed and age, but all are under 1 1/2 years old. I realize hens sometimes slow or stop laying in the Winter months due to length of day, cold weather, ect, but this started prior to the days getting short enough that should hinder laying. You would have thought I would have at least gotten a few eggs. If they were all the same age and breed, it might be more believable that they would all quit. Some even have a light on them 14 hours a day. All of them are purebreed, so they shouldn't be wearing out this quickly.
My question, if it were you, would you give up on them and get some replacement chicks now, so in case they don't start again, I will have a chance at getting eggs from the new girls this Summer? Or, would you just bank on them starting laying again soon and do nothing. My fear is if they don't start laying, and I wait to get chicks until the time I know they should be laying but aren't, so then I will have to start over then and, keep buying eggs until next year. It really stinks to go thru so much feed every week and get nothing in return.
My question, if it were you, would you give up on them and get some replacement chicks now, so in case they don't start again, I will have a chance at getting eggs from the new girls this Summer? Or, would you just bank on them starting laying again soon and do nothing. My fear is if they don't start laying, and I wait to get chicks until the time I know they should be laying but aren't, so then I will have to start over then and, keep buying eggs until next year. It really stinks to go thru so much feed every week and get nothing in return.