Why Aren't My Chickens Laying? Here Are Your Answers!

[Cass]

Quote:
Keep us posted and we'll keep rooting for you....

Do you have a vet that you can ask questions of? An old time farm veternarian (sp) might be your best resource.

 

[saferide sue]

just curious, is this your opinion or are you an attorney? If you are an attorney, are you from Michigan and are you familiar with the Mi right to farm act. I have done extensive research and reading. granted most of it is from other farms and is, perhaps, their opinion, most of what I have read says that I am a micro farm. 1/10th of an acre can be a farm. you don't have to have big equipment or a dozen cows. What I understand is that 1) you have animals or crops that benefit humans 2) AND that you sell or intend to sell these benefits ei; eggs, wool, milk... for any price 3) AND you can meet the generally accepted agricultural management practices. that the MICHIGAN RIGHT TO FARM ACT OVERRIDES ANY LOCAL ORDINANCES AND ZONES provided that you are not causing or contributing to a ecological problem or health hazard like ecoli bacteria. hence they will not support you if you are near a community water supply, a main water way, or in a flood zone...ect. they also will not support you if the community has in place ordinances that allow SOME FARMING. If your community allows 6 chickens, with some guide lines. the Michigan right to farm act will not necessarily support you in raising sheep, goats, pigs...on your property.
Again I ask, Are you an attorney from Michigan who is familiar with the Mi right to farm act? I need legal interpretation, not opinion.

Thank you ,
Whispering feather farms

 

[rancher hicks]

I haven't been following this posting but I have to say,

I have a friend who had over 100 GC's and RIR's and he was only getting 10 eggs this past month. He isn't sure why, but I suspect it's the "line" these birds came from. Or worms but I can't be sure cuz he got rid of all of them.

Now I have about 11-12 Dels and a couple of friz on one side and 10 -11 new orps and Rir and some EE's and I got 16 today so far from 29 hens. Some of my Dels are over 2yrs.

 

[saferide sue]

just curious, is this your opinion or are you an attorney? If you are an attorney, are you from Michigan and are you familiar with the Mi right to farm act. I have done extensive research and reading. granted most of it is from other farms and is, perhaps, their opinion, most of what I have read says that I am a micro farm. 1/10th of an acre can be a farm. you don't have to have big equipment or a dozen cows. What I understand is that 1) you have animals or crops that benefit humans 2) AND that you sell or intend to sell these benefits ie; eggs, wool, milk... for any price 3) AND you can meet the generally accepted agricultural management practices. that the MICHIGAN RIGHT TO FARM ACT OVERRIDES ANY LOCAL ORDINANCES AND ZONES provided that you are not causing or contributing to a ecological problem or health hazard like ecoli bacteria. They will not support you if you are near a community water supply, a main water way, or in a flood zone...ect. they also will not support you if the community has in place ordinances that allow SOME FARMING. If your community allows 6 chickens, with some guide lines. the Michigan right to farm act will not necessarily support you in raising sheep, goats, pigs...on your property.
Again I ask, Are you an attorney from Michigan who is familiar with the Mi right to farm act? I need legal interpretation, not opinion.

Thank you ,
Whispering feather farms

 

[Cass]

Quote:
I don't care how much research you have done you are missing one part of the equation that you, yourself, have put forth--- you cannot sell your own product in your location. So no farm.

And you are on the wrong thread for an answer to this. Ask in the "ordinances" thread and you will probably get someone from your state to fill you in.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I don't care how much research you have done you are missing one part of the equation that you, yourself, have put forth--- you cannot sell your own product in your location. So no farm.

And you are on the wrong thread for an answer to this. Ask in the "ordinances" thread and you will probably get someone from your state to fill you in.

I believe that Cass is correct. There was a huge thread on just this subject not long ago, expounding on the misconceptions of this Right to Farm law in MI, however, this is not the right thread for this subject. Please post in Laws and Ordinances.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Here is the link to the thread that Speckled Hen refers to. It is over 47 pages long....I read the first 8 and in synposis you have to sell your product at your location. So you are correct, you can have a farm in your location the minute you fulfill the city's requirement of getting a business permit to sell eggs at your location, as required by the "right to farm" law.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=182280&p=1

 

[DenverBird]

I'm not a lawyer and I hope no one minds me bringing this thread back to the original topic.

We've got a backyard flock of 5 hens that's gone from 4 - 5 eggs per week each to 1 egg weekly each (if that much - lots of "1" and "0" egg days). Last year the hens laid all through the winter. Any info or suggestions are highly appreciated.

Here are the details about what's up with the hens:

**Lighting and Coop - I've got a light on a timer (on @ 2 am, off @ 7 am) so they get about 14.5 hrs light daily. The bulb is a CFB 60W equivalent in a 3' x 3' coop with a window, perch and separate, enclosed nesting boxes. Straw in bottom of coop and boxes. Run is 3' x 9' with perch.

**Ranging - They free range for a couple of hours most days and go back to the nesting boxes to lay, no eggs seen outside the coop.

**Age - They'll be 2 years old this spring.

**Molting - Only one hen (our BO) remotely appears to be molting and this is only indicated by seeing more of her feathers in the coop than usual. I haven't seen any of them molting yet.

**Diet - They're getting a natural grain diet of a 50-50 mix of 12% scratch and 20% grower that should give them about 16% protein content, with oyster shell available.

**Egg Eating - Recently, about 4 - 5 times total, I've seen eggs that appear to have been partially eaten or pecked at but haven't seen this in the last month, nor does the straw in the nesting boxes appear to be wet or show any other sign of egg eating. If they're eating eggs, they're very meticulous about it.

[EDIT] **false eggs are in the nesting boxes

Thanks!

-DB

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Put some store bought eggs in the coop and see if they dissappear to being eatten.

However this is the time of year that hens take a break in laying. If they don't want to lay, they are not going to lay, regardless of quality of feed or amount of light. Patience is the only answer. If they still aren't laying come April, and warm weather, then worry.

Since they free range, have you wormed them? I know worming mine added to my egg count. (then they slacked off when it got cold again, but oh well, they are birds, not vending machines)

It does sound like you are doing everything right and they just have their legs crossed hoping for Utopia, instead of the wonderful deal they have.

 

[DenverBird]

Thanks Cass - good idea about store-bought eggs to see if those disappear.

-DB