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

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
If you ever had any roosters laying, you could make a fortune. Wouldn't eat any rooster who ever laid an egg.

My main laying flock of 19 hens are up to 7 laying now. For ages, only 2-3 were laying, so slowly, they're coming back into production.

 

[flocksalot]

Quote:
Sorry, can't reply right now, I'm looking at Seed catalogs.....I have FIVE of them in the house since December 25th. Spring is just around the corner, I can feel it.

Seed catalogs and broody hens! I got me three of each! I love spring chicks. I swear the first day after the winter equinox and 8 molters begin laying again, 4 new girls started and 3 girls went broody. That whole what 2 minutes of extra natural daylight and their systems gear up for the laying season. I love it though! Can't wait for some warmer weather and some green in the fields. I'll go from about 30lbs of feed a day to less than 5lbs a week.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Sorry, can't reply right now, I'm looking at Seed catalogs.....I have FIVE of them in the house since December 25th. Spring is just around the corner, I can feel it.

Seed catalogs and broody hens! I got me three of each! I love spring chicks. I swear the first day after the winter equinox and 8 molters begin laying again, 4 new girls started and 3 girls went broody. That whole what 2 minutes of extra natural daylight and their systems gear up for the laying season. I love it though! Can't wait for some warmer weather and some green in the fields. I'll go from about 30lbs of feed a day to less than 5lbs a week.

My girls are still free ranging a hour or so a day and eating the green grass out there. What's up with that? January and we haven't had a freeze for long enough to kill the grass.

I LOOOOOVE IT!!!!

(17* for high tomorrow. Plugged in Heated dog bowl tonight. Really glad I never added heat to coop, cuz I'm not sure it could keep up with tomorrow's low temps)

 

[flocksalot]

Quote:
Seed catalogs and broody hens! I got me three of each! I love spring chicks. I swear the first day after the winter equinox and 8 molters begin laying again, 4 new girls started and 3 girls went broody. That whole what 2 minutes of extra natural daylight and their systems gear up for the laying season. I love it though! Can't wait for some warmer weather and some green in the fields. I'll go from about 30lbs of feed a day to less than 5lbs a week.

My girls are still free ranging a hour or so a day and eating the green grass out there. What's up with that? January and we haven't had a freeze for long enough to kill the grass.

I LOOOOOVE IT!!!!

(17* for high tomorrow. Plugged in Heated dog bowl tonight. Really glad I never added heat to coop, cuz I'm not sure it could keep up with tomorrow's low temps)

Wow that's awesome! I keep some old tarps and throw them on the grass when it starts to brown the grass. That way every few days I can pull a section back and the chickens just go wild for that fresh stuff. There are still a few of them that go way out into the horse pasture or the alfalfa looking for somethin to eat, but for the most past the green is gone. They ate it all. Now that the hidden grass is about gone they will make due with just hay. Not that they don't like it but the fresh is so much better. Will have to go grab another brussle sprout plant out of the garden for them. I should also see if there is any cabbage left. It's funny when I pull up they come jumping, swooping, hopping, fapping, running and pretty much anything else they can do. You would think I fed them or something.

It's supposed to hit 9 tonight. BRRRRR I do have a heat lamp in each coop and the waterers are plugged in (food and water inside each coop) but I guarantee you tomorrow morning they will be throwing themselves against their doors trying to get out. I ALWAYS let them run during the day no matter how cold it is. If they want to go inside they can. Me, I'm gonna sit by the fire, look at the sky, and as I look I can watch the ducks and geese run by. Darn I still have to go out and lock them in at night though. Too bad I still can't sleep at the farm. About 1 more month for the house to be finished so I can just wander out and play whenever I want. I'm chopping on the horses bits.

 

[speckledhen]

Last night's low here at the Chicken Asylum was 10*. Wonder how many eggs I'll get today. Yesterday, the main flock gave me only three.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Was 19* when I left for work. Three eggs in the nest when I got home. Whoo hoo... I hope that the ones that were laying this fall start to lay again soon....once they are all laying I will be getting 10 - 12 a day.....lots of egg salad this summer.

 

[speckledhen]

Got 4 from the main laying flock, plus several from the younger crowd so can't complain with the weather as nasty cold as it was today. One more brutally cold night, then temps going up.

 

[flocksalot]

Quote:
The only one that wanted to stay inside was ME. Even the wild male pheasant came a visitin. He seems to like the Silver Spangled Hamburgs. What a ruckus that always is, but it's also pretty funny to watch when you're inside and warm. Napolean the little hamburg roo gets his panties all in a bunch, yet he doesn't attack the pheasant just does a lot of trash talking and strutting like he's gonna protect the girls. All the other roos just sit and watch. Must be like dinner theatre. I have no idea why else the pheasant comes to visit it's not like he can get to the feed as that's in the coops, but he does try to flirt with the hamburgs. So I guess it's a tragic romance kinda like Romeo and Juliet, and here I was calling him Mr McGoo.

I think for me having the sun shine helps the girls to lay. I know when the weather is bad, but the sun shines they still lay the same. They went through eight gallons of water in one house and three in the other, so they had plenty of water to make those eggs. Of course they also try to drink from the auto horse waterer, but the horses are persnickity about the chickens getting anything of theirs.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Same here. Down to 7* tonight. I have one chick down there I am worried about....I didn't want a broody in October, but I had one and she successfully hatched a chick. (who knew my roosters were doing the job? Hmmm?) Since I didn't want the darn thing anyway, I'm not overly sure why the chick's survival worries me so much.

for the little one....who I originally thought was a roo, but is looking more and more hen like as time goes on. Maybe that's why I am more worried of late? )

On a good note, I was given a heated dog bowl (really nice one) for Christmas (on new year's day...don't ask). It will save my tender a** from having to brave the cold temperatures to bring them water. Filled it up tonight with fresh water, after they all went to roost.

Now if the Ameraucanas would start to lay life would be really good.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Got 7 out of 8 eggs today that are old enough to lay. My Welly has not laid in over 4 months, 2 months to grow feathers and 2 months to look pretty and do nothing????? I love my AUSTRALORPS and EE's.

SPECKLEDHEN, I am in total agreement with the SOP on your page, too funny!