Why is nobody laying?!

[NatJ]

I need peoples thoughts on one more thing. I have a little flock of Cuckoo Marans. I was planning on breeding and selling the chicks. I have four hens and 1 rooster. Not ideal, of course, but we've done it before. They are a year old and haven't layed in months. I'm guessing it's the same issue as the larger flock. Should I just get rid of my Maran rooster?

If you think he is stressing the hens enough to keep them from laying, you could try removing him-- maybe into a pen adjoining the hens-- and see if they start laying again. If they do start laying again, maybe let him be with them just a few days each week, or a few hours each day, to get fertile eggs for hatching but without stressing the hens so much.

Of course you could get rid of him, but that would prevent you from hatching eggs even if the hens did start laying again. That may be a problem or may not be, depending on how badly you wanted to hatch & sell chicks.

Also, should I take the EE rooster I'm keeping out of the large flock temporarily to give the girls a break?

You could, or you could wait to see if just removing the other cockerels made enough difference. I can see good points either way.

 

[Morrigan]

I had a similar experience to OP, as I had a drop in egg production this spring. I feed 20% protein purina flock raiser. My chickens have a lot of access to greenery and old garden produce, as well as getting some sprouted wheat/barley/sunflower seeds every day. I have been keeping chickens for 10 years and my feeding routine has been the same for the last 9 years. This year, I noticed my hens were slow to come into lay and then petered out quickly. A month ago I was getting 3 eggs/day from my 10 laying-age (>1 to 3 years), non-broody chickens. I chalked it up to the weather, or maybe other stresses I couldn't identify.

Then after reading all the nutritional threads that have been cropping up here lately, I decided to experiment by adding protein. I honestly didn't expect anything to change, but thought I'd give it a try. I started giving them a few handfuls of BSFL every day, and gave a tin of tuna every few days. 2 weeks later, egg production is now back to normal (4 to 9 eggs/day) and the egg quality itself improved. One side effect I noticed since offering the additional protein is that their consumption of the commercial feed went way down.

I don't know what to make of it. I do not believe Purina is deliberating tampering with its food. I do question whether global food shortages and price pressure points have unintentionally made, at least in certain production lots, the food less nutritious. Soy is the main source of protein in Purina's FR. Could the soy be of poorer quality this year,? Maybe Purina has been adding other types of -- perhaps less bioavailable-- proteins and amino acids to get to their promised percentages.

Some people may be getting better lots and see no changes. Other people may have a sufficiently insect-rich range for their chickens where they make up for any feed deficiencies. Maybe my experience and that of the OP was pure coincidence? Maybe my chickens which are big dual purpose birds, need more protein? I don't have all the answers, just sharing my experience.

Anyway, for the first time in 10 years, I'm considering switching from Purina. If other brands are more expensive, but the chickens eat less of it, and lay better, it would be worth it.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Marans are not champion layers even under the best conditions. How old are they?

Are they broody?

They are a year old and none are broody.

 

[3KillerBs]

They are a year old and none are broody.

That's really weird.

You could try removing the male -- maybe to an adjoining pen -- to see if it helps.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

That's really weird.

You could try removing the male -- maybe to an adjoining pen -- to see if it helps.

What I may end up doing is selling him all together and just put them with the rest of my flock. I wanted to sell chicks, but I don't have the ability to do what @NatJ suggested with keeping them seperate except for occasionally. If everybody's already stressed beyond laying, I guess now is a good time to move them since they aren't laying in the first place.

 

[Mountain Roost]

I really wanted to read the whole thread...but its long. =)

Apologies in Advance if my two cents have already been covered.

I feed my entire flock 19% protein organic broiler grower that I buy by the ton. Freshly ground when I call to order it. I mix it with water to make a wet mash because the powder makes everyone sneeze and choke. They get one feeding in the morning and then can free range. I add oyster shell to the wet mix because it seems like no one is interested in it when I put a dish of just oyster shell out. There is even some left in the food trays at the end of the day - picked over. Calcium is a huge part of laying and you almost have to force it on them.

My commentary on the dog or cat food is - Cannibalism - chicken is an ingredient in those foods and I don't subscribe to giving my chickens chicken.

 

[3KillerBs]

My commentary on the dog or cat food is - Cannibalism - chicken is an ingredient in those foods and I don't subscribe to giving my chickens chicken.

I can respect this position, but chickens are happily cannibalistic by nature and I personally don't try to impose human moral standards on them.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

I can respect this position, but chickens are happily cannibalistic by nature and I personally don't try to impose human moral standards on them.

Exactly.

 

[Mountain Roost]

I totally get that other people are ok with this. It is just something I don't subscribe to. Just because the chickens will do it on their own doesn’t mean I need to encourage it. I have not personally seen my chickens eat each other, dead or alive, so I am going to continue raising them with this principle.

To each their own...just adding to the thread.

 

[BDutch]

I'm surprised no one mentioned parasites as a cause for not laying eggs. I have tons of wild birds here and when my laying slows or I see bare butts, I treat them for mites. It works well, the laying increases after. It is a pain, since I have over 50 chickens ( I retire my old ladies to an old lady flock) but I haven't found a way to keep the wild birds out.

Especially red mite are often a reason hens stop laying.
I discovered red mite in a early stage today. On the next page of the link you find info how to make rolls to check for an infestation / monitor. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...nd-11-hatching-eggs-🪺-🪺.1574045/post-26943791