When will they start?

[TheHenHen]

Hello, I have some hens that are 8 mos old. We have two roosters, and for a while now, I've been wondering when will my roosters start realizing that they have to give food to the ones that are sitting on eggs for 25 or 24 days. I'm getting worried that they will never do it, and I won't have new chicks.

Do you know when they will start?

Thanks!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Unless they are laying already, off site, in a secret location, they'll start up now. The daylight hours are now approaching the 12 hours daylight and 12 hours night time. That signals them to begin to lay. You can speed the process by putting a 40 watt bulb in their coop or pen. Have it come on at 4 am. They'll lay.

If they have a secret place they are laying, I hope you find it. I don't normally allow point of lay pullets access to free ranging until they've mastered the nests I provide for them. They don't "know" that's where they are supposed lay. All we do is work with their instincts.

 

[Den in Penn]

Roosters do not take food to broody hens. The broody hen will come off the nest to eat, drink and poop. In the normal coarse of rooster/hen interaction an rooster will court a hen by finding treats and calling her over, other then that she has to find her own food. Have any of your hens gone broody yet?