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

[speckledhen]

Quote: They do if you get what we do, mini-pellets. Tucker Milling and Faithway Feeds both offer mini-pellets, which my tiny Belgian D'Anvers eat just fine. They are very small layer pellets, which come in either 16% or 22% protein.

I free range my main flock most days. The feeders are always filled and available, but when they are out and about, they rarely touch them. At night, you can hang them up higher so they just can't get to them until morning. They don't really need to eat at night if they've been eating all day long. I never remove the feeders from the coops, even when they free range every day, but they do slow way down on the layer pellets when they are able to get out of the pens for a few hours or all day, if possible. The only exception is my semi-blind hen, Tiny, who cannot see to find food on range. She must eat from a feeder, or at least, a pile of feed, since she cannot aim to get bugs, worms or single grains off the ground.


Most of my hens are molting heavily or regaining weight post-molt and I am getting only about 2-6 eggs per day from 27 hens (not counting the bantams in that number since they keep going broody and don't lay well this time of year anyway). Of those 27 hens, 12 of them are over 4 years old, with a few almost 6 years old.

 

[LestersFlat]

I have read the articles recommended in the beginning of this post, and believe that our girls are well taken care of, well fed, and not especially stressed, but am still curious when they say decreased egg production, how much of a decrease is normal?

We have 6 hens that are 2YO. We have 3 that should also be 2YO, but got them on Craig's List so don't know for sure. (Bad idea, won't do it again!) Even though my first chicken ladies laid eggs regularly straight through last winter in upstate NY, this year even the fall weather has been cold and the girls are shutting down. I haven't seen any of them in a true molt, but 2 of the 3 that we added later appear to be regrowing feathers where they had been "shaggy" since we got them. We also have 4 little ladies that were born in February for a total of 13 hens and 1 roo.

We were getting anywhere from 6 to 10 eggs a day, and now are down to 2 or 3. The puzzling part is that it is the youngsters that seem to have stopped producing moreso than the 2YOs. We have only one blue-egger, one of the babies, and I have not seen an egg from her in about a month. She appears perfectly healthy and happy, and she was the only one we could count on for an egg a day almost every day. Of course that might be because hers was the only egg we could identify regularly!

Is it normal to stop laying for that long just because colder weather is setting in? Or should I continue looking for the hidden cache? We found a hiding place before with over 30 eggs (see photo). I keep thinking we are going to find another one (they free range during the day), but so far, no luck.

 

[flocksalot]

I have read the articles recommended in the beginning of this post, and believe that our girls are well taken care of, well fed, and not especially stressed, but am still curious when they say decreased egg production, how much of a decrease is normal?

We have 6 hens that are 2YO. We have 3 that should also be 2YO, but got them on Craig's List so don't know for sure. (Bad idea, won't do it again!) Even though my first chicken ladies laid eggs regularly straight through last winter in upstate NY, this year even the fall weather has been cold and the girls are shutting down. I haven't seen any of them in a true molt, but 2 of the 3 that we added later appear to be regrowing feathers where they had been "shaggy" since we got them. We also have 4 little ladies that were born in February for a total of 13 hens and 1 roo.

We were getting anywhere from 6 to 10 eggs a day, and now are down to 2 or 3. The puzzling part is that it is the youngsters that seem to have stopped producing moreso than the 2YOs. We have only one blue-egger, one of the babies, and I have not seen an egg from her in about a month. She appears perfectly healthy and happy, and she was the only one we could count on for an egg a day almost every day. Of course that might be because hers was the only egg we could identify regularly!

Is it normal to stop laying for that long just because colder weather is setting in? Or should I continue looking for the hidden cache? We found a hiding place before with over 30 eggs (see photo). I keep thinking we are going to find another one (they free range during the day), but so far, no luck.

Well here's a few things that may help.

First, with the decreasing daylight most chickens will go into a molt. Now for some it may be a light and for others it may be heavy. We got both going on right now. If you have chickens getting new feathers to fill in their "shaggy spots" they are molting. In order to keep egg production up over the winter you could use a light. Even little things like making sure any windows are recieving the first morning light will help. Over the winter we position even our largest coops so they get sunlight from the East Southeast direction. Those that use a timer for their lighting will make it so the light comes on in the early morning and back on in the evening allowing the birds to have 14 to 16 hours of light. If you decide to increase their daylight hours do so over a period of time for best results.

Second, those doggone hidden nests are extremely hard to find. I can't wait until it snows and the hidders are stuck using the nest boxes. I feel your pain. You can always keep them locked in for a couple of days to get them to bond with the nest boxes, but if I tried it I think they would peck their way out. Keeping a few fake eggs in a nest can help, but move it around once in a while as some birds will just kick it onto the floor. Mine are really good at that. I also lure them into using a nest box by placing a single nest box where they had been laying out side. For some this works. Others I'm still waiting for the snow to encourage a new nesting spot.

Lastly, as chickens get older they tend to drop off in egg production. How quickly that is depends on the chicken and it's breeding. Hatchery chickens are bred for laying many many eggs quickly. They may lay their whole supply up in just a few years. This is one thing I have noticed with the larger production birds. Our White Leghorns have exhausted their supply by the time they reach 2 or 3, but the cross bred mutts can go on and on. They, however, don't lay as many eggs a week as a Leghorn, nor as early.

Now this is no diagnosis of your problem, just a few things to consider. My best guess would be the lighting and molting issue as you have all ages taking an unscheduled vacation. Molting can go fast or slow depending on the age and health of the bird. This morning I found a pile, and I do mean pile, of feathers left on one of the dropping boards. I'm guessing we have a naked chicken running around some where. It's one of the Red Stars and that means she's either 2 or 3 years old depending on which one she is. Won't know till I find the little streaker and since we have a large number of chickens she could hide in the flock til she's fully feathered once again. Usually they'll all come when I call though so well see at which stage she is then.

 

[chilaman]

yes-thanks for the info.

 

[das Huhnchen]

Ok, I've read a few of the posts here and have to throw my situation out there. As a first time chicken owner, this site has been incredibly helpful.

Location: N. Colorado
1 Ancona hen
1 RIR hen
1 EE hen
1 Black Australorp
Hatched ~4/17-4/19
Chicken tractor dwellers, 4x8 foot yard with secure coop at night, no lights
Free range under supervision
Fresh water and at will food available, layer mash

RIR and Ancona started laying in Mid Sept. They both squat when you go to pick them up, so I'm fairly confident they are the layers, and Ancona is the only white egg layer. RIR is very proud of her eggs, so I'm sure they're hers. Neither the EE or Australorp has started laying. Australorp had a run in with dog and lost feathers on her behind, but she's feathered back out and doing well. All hens seem very healthy and happy. Ancona has not produced an egg in about 2 weeks. RIR puts one out nearly every day, bless her little heart! So here are my questions:

Will the EE and Australorp lay eggs in the spring?
Can one tell the difference between an Australorp egg and a RIR egg?
Will the egg color of a brown egg layer vary from day to day slightly? What about shape? (Our brown eggs vary slightly, and I've never gotten 2 brown eggs in one day so this leads me to believe the Australorp is not laying.)
Will they not lay if they don't get out to free range? I don't believe they are overcrowded. But they LIKE to get out on a regular basis.
Could the hens be eating their own eggs and not leave any trace before I can get to them? I have seen NO evidence of this, but....
When should I expect the first molt?

Thanks, in advance, for any input. Sorry for any redundancy.
Kindly,
dasHuhnchen

 

[audreydc1983]

I got two 9-mo old chickens - a Columbian Wyandotte and an Ameraucana - from a breeder who advertised on Craigslist (learned my lesson with that...totally not doing that anymore). I got them two weeks ago, and they both are doing much better - at first, they wouldn't leave the coop, now the Wyandotte spends most of her day foraging in the chicken yard or eating the crumble layer feed or treats. The Ameraucana is taking a little bit longer to adjust - she'll come out in the morning for an hour or two, will eat, then roost on the outside perch. Both of them haven't been handled much, so they tend to avoid human contact as much as possible.
Neither of the two have been laying. My Australorp (also 9 mo old, got her when she was 6 mo) is laying a consistent 5 eggs a week.
How long should I give them to start laying before I start wringing necks? I do like chickens, but I got into this mostly for the eggs - if they aren't good pets, and aren't laying, then their days are numbered. I can't afford to keep shoveling food down their gullet and getting nothing in return.
They free range in their chicken pen. I haven't provided lights in the coop yet, but I'll be willing to do so if that would help with egg production.

~Audrey

 

[Cass]

I got two 9-mo old chickens - a Columbian Wyandotte and an Ameraucana - from a breeder who advertised on Craigslist (learned my lesson with that...totally not doing that anymore). I got them two weeks ago, and they both are doing much better - at first, they wouldn't leave the coop, now the Wyandotte spends most of her day foraging in the chicken yard or eating the crumble layer feed or treats. The Ameraucana is taking a little bit longer to adjust - she'll come out in the morning for an hour or two, will eat, then roost on the outside perch. Both of them haven't been handled much, so they tend to avoid human contact as much as possible.
Neither of the two have been laying. My Australorp (also 9 mo old, got her when she was 6 mo) is laying a consistent 5 eggs a week.
How long should I give them to start laying before I start wringing necks? I do like chickens, but I got into this mostly for the eggs - if they aren't good pets, and aren't laying, then their days are numbered. I can't afford to keep shoveling food down their gullet and getting nothing in return.
They free range in their chicken pen. I haven't provided lights in the coop yet, but I'll be willing to do so if that would help with egg production.

~Audrey

Now is not prime egg laying time. If you do not suppliment their light until spring, don't expect an egg until spring. Ameruacanas are not overly productive egg layers, but I suspect that you recieved an Easter Egger, who are better layers. If you want eggs add light to make the amount of "daylight" they get equal 12 - 14 hours. (I have a timer that turns on the light in my big coop at 2 am, which has doubled my egg production. Have the light come on in AM not PM so the chickens go to roost with natural decline of daylight)

I have had new hens lay the very first day they were in my coop and other newbies not lay for 2 months after joining my flock. It's a crap shoot when you add adults to a flock. Usually there is a reason that someone is getting rid of laying hens this time of year. Many times that reason is lack of proven production, so the original owner doesn't want to feed the hen for the winter. I hope you didn't pay much for these new hens...you may have been sold duds.

 

[audreydc1983]

I paid $20 each - which is cheap for a good lesson. I'll go ahead and supplement their lighting, and give them a couple more weeks. I'm not gonna give up on 'em just yet.

 

[audreydc1983]

About the breed - all I know is what the guy told me...she won't let me get close enough to her to inspect her!

 

[Cass]

I paid $20 each - which is cheap for a good lesson. I'll go ahead and supplement their lighting, and give them a couple more weeks. I'm not gonna give up on 'em just yet.

$20 is the going rate for laying hens around here, but a VERY expensive chicken dinner. Give them a couple of months, like til spring to see if they come around. My Wyndotte (terrible spelling) lays an extra large egg....4 - 6 a week, so she is worth the wait. The "Ameraucana" will lay a very pretty egg med-large to large in size, so again, worth the wait. Unless your finances are such that you really can't afford the feed for 2 extra chickens for 3 - 4 months, give them light, give them til spring and see what happens. I DO think you will be pleasantly surprised when they do start laying. As far as getting your hands on them, have you tried the BOSS route? And I don't mean boss them around. Black Oil Sunflower seeds. Chickens eat them like popcorn and you can throw some out, then as the days/ weeks go by throw it closer and closer to your feet. I have yet to have a chicken, regardless of how it was raised,to fail to get close enough after a few weeks for me to grab them. (Usually I grab them at night for inspection, but I have power in my coop so light at night isn't a problem)