Where are the eggs?????

[Chickenman623]

29 weeks ago we took delivery of 7 chicks from Murray McMurray. 2 Black Astrolorps, 2 Bielfelders, 2 Buff Oprpingtons and 1 Speckled Sussex. (her partner died en-route!) At 29 weeks we most usually get 3 eggs daily. Sometimes only 2. At this point with my last batch, 14 years ago or so, I had eggs coming out of my ears by this time. I'm not complaining because these eggs are just for my wife's and my plates and we've neither of us gone for want of an egg since they started laying. I believe the 2 Buffs and the 2 Astros are the ones laying.................just not one a day each yet. I'm feeding Purina Starter Crumbles free-will and am giving them Murray McMurray's Quick Chick treated water. Am I expecting too much too soon?

 

[The cheek coop]

They are old enough but depending on your location and lighting they may not lay till spring. My hens have completely stopped laying here in southeastern Ky due to shortened daylight hours.

 

[Folly's place]

Hens and most pullets need 14 to 16 hours of light daily to produce eggs, and that's not what we have now, at least in most of the USA> A small light in their coop, on a timer from 3am to 8am will provide that light, and in a few weeks you should have more eggs daily. Or, wait until spring for better production.
You should have oyster shell out there in a separate dish for the birds who are in lay, and fresh untreated water to drink.
Mary

 

[Chickenman623]

I live in Oklahoma. Gets dark these days around 5:45. I close them into their run at about 5:20/5:30. They have a nightlight inside the coop that goes out at 8pm. When it starts getting light around 7am we open the run door..........but they don't usually come out of the coup until around 8am. They tend to lay their eggs between about 10am and 3pm.

Your comment about yours stopping laying for you because of the shortened days surprises me. When I had my 24 hens back in around 2009, I didn't notice any difference in production during the Winter. I've had the hardest time trying to sound knowledgeable with my new little wife. I'm "supposed" to be the chicken "scholar" and I'm forever having to answer her questions with........................"well, uh, I dunno!"

Guess my hens are just still little girls.

 

[springvalley123]

You're giving them free choice oyster shells too right? They need that, especially if they're not on a layer feed, but even if they were on layer feed they'd need free choice calcium. Any hidden nests? Any pests that might be stealing some of the eggs, especially if somehow your setup is different with this group than the previous group?

 

[kismit]

given the time of year, you may be expecting a bit much. the length of the light cycle is what influences laying more than anything else. where i'm at sun is setting around 4:45 and not rising til 7:30 or so.
our girls have been laying since july, and stopped laying entirely through the molt in sept, got back up to 5-6 a day. now its between 5 and 3 eggs a day depending on who's taking the day off-and mine are all egg production hybrids. my heritage breeds would stop laying almost entirely shortly after halloween every year even when i lived 150 miles south of current location

 

[aart]

Hens and most pullets need 14 to 16 hours of light daily to produce eggs

This is not true...or we'd only get eggs for a few weeks a year.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Usually by the time November gets here my girls have stopped for a two month vacation. One day they all stop laying and then after the first of the year, bang, they start again. I don’t worry about it because I think they deserve a break. But here it is almost middle of November and I’m still getting 14-18 a day. Go figure.

 

[Chickenman623]

I've had free-choice Oyster Shell supplement out for a couple of months. No-one seems to have touched it.

No hidden nests................though all but one of my mystery layers lays in a nest they scratch up in the wood chips on the floor of the coup. Pests have no access point into the run or coup after I close the run door at night.

Guess I'll just need to be patient. But have to admit I've been giving "half-time" lectures about them all pulling their load and doing what hens do.

Hens and most pullets need 14 to 16 hours of light daily to produce eggs, and that's not what we have now, at least in most of the USA> A small light in their coop, on a timer from 3am to 8am will provide that light, and in a few weeks you should have more eggs daily. Or, wait until spring for better production.
You should have oyster shell out there in a separate dish for the birds who are in lay, and fresh untreated water to drink.
Mary

You mentioned "untreated" water. I've been giving them Quick Chick since day one and I did that with my last batch. Should I not be treating with that after the hotter weather drops off??

 

[Sally PB]

I had June hatched pullets begin laying in November. One waited until mid-January. My current batch of pullets are all 26 weeks old as of yesterday. Only one looks like she could lay any day now.