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

[Cass]

Thanks for the links.
Ive had my chickens for almost 6 months now and they are part of the family. We started off with 5 with various breeds, they got comfortable and after a month we started receiving 3+ eggs daily. We then decided to increase the flock with 5 more and all different breeds including a bantum chicken. They all varied in age and as such I have struggled to know what to feed them since some are pullets and the oldest bird being 8 months roughly. We have 10 chickens that have a nice coop which i built in the corner of the garden. I have about 25metres of grass and a small garden at the end and they roam free everyday as the gate is always open for them. There is one chicken that crokes in the morning when the gate is closed and thus we have adapted and leave them out everyday now. They produce 2-3 eggs per day, not enough to give away but enough for our family of 2 + 10 chickens. The important thing to note that even in my flock, the combination of these factors. A pecking order must be established thus creating stress on the initial 5 birds, then they get comfortable and we had another 5 so thus another pecking order needs to be established. The age of the birds varies and the right feed is important but hard to monitor. I have two isa browns and the rest are all different breeds, so 9 different breeds of chickens with different personalities and traits. The important thing to note when keeping chickens is the combination of all these factors not to mention water, conditions and weather. Imagine 10 chickens and 9 different breeds, i chose this on purpose as we treat them like our family. They are such great animals and family pets as they adapt to their surroundings. However i have come to terms with the fact that chickens are exactly as you have mentioned not machines. They co exist and are temperamental just like the rest of us. We also feed them scraps and all sorts of treats which we have observed that they enjoy, such as yogurt and bananas. Having 10 chickens and only 3 eggs per day does raise alarms to some but we have at least 3 chickens in that grey area of how old they exactly are and whether they are at laying periods yet. Ultimately they are very well looked after with plenty of food, water and great living conditions that they should produce each day however chickens are not machines that pop out a treat every time you invest a dollar. Patience and understanding is the key in my situation with the amount of breeds i have in my flock. Isa browns and leghorns are the ultimate egg laying breeds and i only have 2 chickens with such breeds the rest will vary greatly from bird to bird. Keeping all that in mind there is nothing your really doing wrong if your ticking all the boxes but it does not mean that you will get good egg production simply due to the breed, age and temperament of each bird.

If you are happy with your production, that's all that matters, but at this time of year you should be getting at least 50% of your birds of laying age laying daily.

As to the person who had a huge drop in production on birds just a year old, they may be going through a molt, which will stop egg laying until they are feathered out again.

 

[Faenauliel]

You were SO right!!..... I went to check after reading your post last night & she had 7 eggs under her.... This morning, I went to check again, and--sure enough--there were 8 eggs! I marked them all as you suggested. I think 8 chicks would be the most either the chicken or *I* could handle!

I do have a rooster.... He's a black Silkie that I raised from a fuzzy little chick last summer. The guy I had purchased the two Silkie chicks from ''guaranteed'' that they would both be hens. By the time the rooster began growing a comb, I was too in love with him to get rid of him. At night I have to keep him inside my house, in a utility closet, in the plastic bin that we had them in as chicks just so my neighbors won't complain about being awakened too early!

I'm a bit curious what the chicks may end up looking like!
O

**UPDATE:
Apparently my ''bedroom slipper'' of a rooster actually did his job! So far there are 3 lil' chicks, and there are 5 more eggs!

 

[jdyson]

They are adorable!

 

[Cass]

**UPDATE:
Apparently my ''bedroom slipper'' of a rooster actually did his job! So far there are 3 lil' chicks, and there are 5 more eggs!

ok, that is just about the best "why aren't my chickens laying" answer I have ever seen. CUTE to the max.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Awwww, what a sweet momma! Congratulations!

 

[duke692008]

very cute and im glad the rooster is doing his job....a proud momma she will be

 

[patti17340]

Ok I have changed from an open watering system to a nipple watering system so that my chickens will have cleaner water.. but I do not think 2 of my chickens are getting enough water because they have not laid an egg in almost a week., I have always had 3 - 4 eggs daily for the past year..with 4 hens. Now I get 1 - 2.. changing the water is the only thing I have done different. I do not want to confuse them by have 2 different types and I so hated the dirty water pan.. Should I just keep watch and what should I be looking for as to signs of not enough water.. I have been making their feed moist just to be sure they are getting some water each day.

 

[Cass]

Ok I have changed from an open watering system to a nipple watering system so that my chickens will have cleaner water.. but I do not think 2 of my chickens are getting enough water because they have not laid an egg in almost a week., I have always had 3 - 4 eggs daily for the past year..with 4 hens. Now I get 1 - 2.. changing the water is the only thing I have done different. I do not want to confuse them by have 2 different types and I so hated the dirty water pan.. Should I just keep watch and what should I be looking for as to signs of not enough water.. I have been making their feed moist just to be sure they are getting some water each day.

You may have only changed the water delivery system, but that doesn't mean that other things aren't going on within the flock. Molt? Broodiness? Parasite infestation? Each of the hens taking to laying every other day? Of course it may just be that 2 of the birds aren't drinking enough. Easy way to check, put out a pan of water for a couple of days and see if production pick up....if it does you have your answer. If it doesn't start working on other causes for lack of laying. How old are your hens? If they are over 2 years old they do slow down in their laying, if they are still young then that isn't the cause.

 

[patti17340]

Well today I am back to 3 eggs.. I see no signs of molt or bugs.. I am planning of worming them this weekend.. but I see no worms in the pooo. They are happy go lucky as always loving being able to get out of the coop and run around with this nice weather.. So I will just keep watching and call it a learning experience. Planning on adding 6 new chicks ,17 weeks on Saturday. Just got their place set up this evening.. hope my older girls will learn to love them.

 

[joannee]

This article was helpful to me as a newbe. I was giving them scratch by hand to get them to come to me and have them be more friendly so that we are able to handle them. When I read the article, scratch is not the best thing for them, it will interrupt the balance in nutrition. Thank you