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

[Chickadee55]

I'm lucky if I get one egg a day right now. One hen trying to go broody but she's sitting on a wooden egg. Good luck with that sweety! I finally removed it so she would get up and drink.

She's so cute!

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Glad you like that!

 

[off-grid hen]

I have 12 hens (not prolific layer breeds) and got 4 eggs yesterday, but it only got up to 8* yesterday. Last night it was 0*. I get 7 eggs/day when the temp is above 20*, but if it dips down under 10, I only get few. I don't mind, I know their bodies are working harder to stay warm. And I am trying to not overstress them with light. It comes on at 5:00 am so they can get up and eat and drink a little and to get the blood moving. Timer shuts light off at 8:00 am. I am not using supplemental heat.

It'll be nice when the sun comes up a little earlier and it doesn't get dark until after 6:00pm!

 

[pips&peeps]

SH,

I bet he knows:

 

[speckledhen]

pips&peeps :

SH,

I bet he knows:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/21/Carnac.jpg/220px-Carnac.jpg

 

[Cass]

pips&peeps :

SH,

I bet he knows:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/21/Carnac.jpg/220px-Carnac.jpg

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Finally got my first egg. I got the first on New Year's Day. Only 1. Then I got 2 on the 4th. And 1 today.
Layers are 22 weeks old. Mix of Delawares, Barred Rocks, and RIR. 23 total.
They are in a 12x12 mobile coop that has no floor (similar to a Salatin daily move pen, but taller and wider). On weekends, I attach a 8x16 run to the pen to give them more room to explore/forage.
They get organic layer crumbles and whatever kitchen scraps we generate. Before laying, they were on a poultry grower (higher protein/lower calcium than layer feed).
I also pull up large piles of chickweed, and henbit to throw in the pen for greens to supplement the mostly tall fescue pasture they are on. There is also dandelion, clover, orchard grass, sorrell, plantain, and other weeds in the pasture.
Hopefully the number of eggs will increase now that the days are getting longer, albeit slightly.
Hang in there everyone, you will get eggs.

 

[bairo]

Quote:
Are you sure they are not crowing? LOL Just kidding. I have noticed a huge increase it seems this year in parasite problems. Our (almost) entire eastern Tn group ended up worming our flocks at about the same time. Most of us saw at least a 50% increase in eggs within 72 hours. Now that was just plain weird

 

[gh143]

I got my first egg on New Years Day!

The chickens will be about 6 months now
Out of the 3 of them, I've only seen 2 go in to lay (I know the larger sized hens eggs from the other 2 because her eggs are noticably larger in size!)
And in the past 8 days, I've had 15 eggs! I think that's actually pretty good going!

Felt so sorry for Atheena (the larger grey one). The noises she was making when first trying to lay. Bless her. Don't think she knew what was going on!
They're fully free range, have access to mixed grit (although they prefer dirt and gravel), feed them on anything going (apart from chicken) alongside their mixed corn and pellets (Still giving them growers til it runs out though). They also love rolling in ash from the fire. The white one doesn't stay white for long! Ha!

Here is my proudest most regular layer - Astera

And here is the entire gang

 

[speckledhen]

My main flock of 19 layers is back up to 12 laying again. That includes many in the 3-5 year old range. I have three other groups as well, but many of those are younger birds.