white leghorns - prolific layers or not?

[Arielle]

This is a thought--can you go back to the source of the birds and ask the production rate? If they should be laying at a higher rate, have another look at the food available to them. Some breeds are better foragers than others; how was the parent stock raised? Perhaps they have lost some of the foraging abilities. You are the best judge of that to compare these Leghorns with your previous flock.

To lay eggs every day requires huge amounts of protein to be eaten everyday. ANd the larger the egg, the more protein. Are your birds getting enough food to support a high rate of lay of large eggs? Commercail leghorns literally have feed infront of them, and expend NO energy to find the food or water--it all goes into the eggs.

This is meant as food for thought. You might have a look at how much they are really eating. Maybe this is the answer.

GL

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
I know!! That's why it's driving me crazy!

I egg hunt every day but have yet to turn up a single egg outside the nesting boxes.

Mind you, they were shut in from early December to mid-April and the egg rate per leghorn was the same: 3, sometimes 4 per week (per hen) if I was lucky.

I have brown egg layers and easter eggers so those big white eggs are easy to spot - some days there are ZERO white eggs, drives me nuts.

I'd love more white leghorn hens but they are hard to come by around here, the breeding farm only has them available twice per year and you have to reserve well in advance.

 

[Taylor]

are you feeding them layer pellets or layer crumble??? if they are free-range and you are not feeding them feed then thats probably your problem. hens need at least 16% protein to lay eggs and if they don't get it they lay few eggs. or none at all. hope this helps.

i had a few leghorns a few years ago, they started laying around 15 wks and never stopped until they were 3 1/2 yrs old. just skipping a day very seldom. but i fed them layer feed, so thats why. and mine free-range too but i feed them as well.

BTW your leghorn hen is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
oh no worries there, the flocks eat better than we do

the girls are all fat, glossy and sassy and get loads of variety in their diet, plenty of protein, balanced organic grains, plenty of fresh air and exercise...

as I said, i have some old hens (3+ years) and even my old silkies that lay more than these leghorns and I don't think that's normal

I'll try to find some more from another breeding farm and see if there's a difference.

 

[Taylor]

if they are getting protein then they are just probably wore out then

they are very pretty though! you could always try a hatchery and order chicks and raise them up and they will lay excellent! or buy started pullets and they will be coming into lay in a few weeks when you purchase them.

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
but how can they be worn out?

they started laying last September a week after I got them and have hardly laid much since then at all

they will forever remain a mystery and I am determined to get a few more as I think I got some weirdos, LOL!

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Wow, that's a terrible rate of lay for commercial Leghorns. It's really odd and I can understand why you are so disappointed.

Some disreputable people here have been selling hens as 'about to lay' or 'will lay soon' which are actually spent layers but if it's a local farm and they tried to pull that stunt people would talk.

I can't offer much help, if the other girl is laying well it's probably not a food issue. When my eggs go missing I go on an egg hunt and usually find a secret nest but if you've looked I can't think of much else.

 

[technodoll]

Quote:
Thanks, RareBreed... the breeder is very well known and highly respected, produces healthy birds and all. The production reds I've gotten from that place have been awesome - great personalities, beautiful specimens, healthy and wonderful layers.

But the leghorns... so pretty, quite personable but lazy!

Good to hear that normally leghorns do lay as well as their reputation states: I won't give up on the breed, I love them!

 

[becky3086]

It also may be possible that they are fed too well. A fat hen will not lay as well as one that isn't. You could try cutting down a little bit (I would suggest no corn at all if they even get any) and see if their laying increases. Your hen does not look too fat but it is really too hard to tell just by looking at them. I would also check out their nest boxes. One time mine quit laying and I found red mites in their nest box. That's all I can think of. ..