Why are my hens not laying!!!

[Teresaann24]

I haven't gotten eggs all winter which is fine I understand that. Days have been warmer here and nice and my aunts hens are laying up a storm. Mine however are not! I am feeding them a Layer pellet they are getting their oyster shells and grit and fresh water. I have cleaned their coop and run reset up nests with fresh hay and NOTHING!!!

All my hens are of laying age. UGH!

Is there something I am doing wrong?

 

[welovechickens]

Do they free-range at all? Any possibility they could have a secret nest somewhere?

 

[Teresaann24]

They only free range under my watch about an hour to half hour everyday if weather is nice. So I am pretty sure 100% there is no secret nest. They laid so awesome last year but I am not sure when they did start laying last year.

 

[underground chickenman]

How's the lighting? Are they getting 15 hours per day? If not, you may need to supplement with artificial lighting.

The basic laying ingredients are:

1. Good quality feed with at least 16% protein. My do better on higher protein. I use 18%. If you can't find it in a layer ration, use a start ration and add oyster shell. I also give them black oil sunflower seeds instead of scratch.

2. Fresh clean water

3. 15+ hours of light

4. Time. Since they are older birds, they could be getting ready to molt.

You don't need nest boxes for them to lay, but it helps to find the eggs.

Good luck and be sure to let us know when those eggs start showing up.

UGCM

 

[welovechickens]

Well, my experience is that chickens love to keep us on our toes, and will never do things when we think they should.

I hope they start laying better for you! I got 3 eggs today for the first time in weeks! Usually I just get 1 random egg a day.

 

[Teresaann24]

thank you underground chickenman and welovechickens!

 

[bills]

Any chance there is an egg eater amongst them? They can clean up an egg pretty good, shell and all. Sometimes they will all get in on the feast once the egg is broken, and it's gone in no time.

Second year they do slow down, but you should be getting some at least, with our longer daylight hours especially.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Put some fake eggs in their nests and wait. Bet they lay within a week!

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Try cayanne pepper!!(or crushed red pepper-same thing!)

There was a thread on here about it. I tried it and mine all started laying. If I remember correctly its supposadly gets the 'blood flowin' but the birds cannot taste spicey! I mixed in 2 Tbls into a large batch of cornbread then split it into 2 days. so 1 Tbls per 6 birds/day it what was recommended!

I'll try to find the link!

ETA: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=292179&p=1
11 pages about it!!