Will my chickens ever lay?

[birdman55]

some will take longer then others..also the cold has a lot to do with the chickens and laying ...we had a cold spell up in Michigan and they stopped laying then a warm week and now there back on for business....

 

[paxinospullets]

I appreciate all the above information for my own situation. I had 8 total chickens. Then I saw someone was moving out west and needed to re-home her 16 chickens. I've had them for almost 1 week. They're adjusting well so far. However, no eggs. The lady said they were varying ages from 5 months to 1 1/2 years and they were still laying, although had slowed down due to winter. (I live in PA). I am still only getting my 4 per day from my original birds. (all RIR hens are laying - Bantams do not lay anymore??)

I will consider all this advice above and give them some time. I hope they start to lay soon. I have friends who'd like some eggs! It's fun seeing these new breeds. In this new group are 2 Faverolles. (?sp) They were a little scary at first because they're so big. But, after reading about them, they are supposed to be very docile and friendly. I like the way the rooster walks!

 

[ochochicas]

I got two hens from guy who was moving. He told me they were 3 years old and laying a dozen eggs per week. Fast forward 6 months...these hens have never laid a single egg. One of them has arthritis and does not get around well. The other one is too old and fat to get down from the roost. I think the hens are closer to 5 or 6 years old and the guy who sold them lied about their age and egg laying status.

In October I bought some 2 year old hens and a rooster. The hens laid for a couple of weeks and then all started molting. They have not laid a single egg in over a month. It seems to be that time of year. I'm hoping they will start to lay again in January. I'd expect yours will do the same. Short day length combined with the stress of moving has probably caused them to quit laying.

 

[birdman55]

I got two hens from guy who was moving. He told me they were 3 years old and laying a dozen eggs per week. Fast forward 6 months...these hens have never laid a single egg. One of them has arthritis and does not get around well. The other one is too old and fat to get down from the roost. I think the hens are closer to 5 or 6 years old and the guy who sold them lied about their age and egg laying status.

In October I bought some 2 year old hens and a rooster. The hens laid for a couple of weeks and then all started molting. They have not laid a single egg in over a month. It seems to be that time of year. I'm hoping they will start to lay again in January. I'd expect yours will do the same. Short day length combined with the stress of moving has probably caused them to quit laying.

if they are molting they will not lay...try putting an egg in there and leaving it in there to encourage them to lay and put a red heat light and leave on for 24/7...they might start laying again...I don't keep my birds longer then a year and a half...they start to loose their ability to lay and the meat is really tough after this point..so keep the fresh birds and you will have plenty off eggs...we picked 14 or 15 eggs today..the birds I choose to keep are the visual keepers the ones that look the best....you can tell when a bird shouldn't be around for egg production or meat in that aspect...hope this helps

 

[paxinospullets]

@birdman55 what do you do with them after a year and a half? I wouldn't know where to take them or what to do with them. (if they end up not producing).

 

[ochochicas]

I keep my hens until I either find them a home or they are ill and need to be put down. I have two hens now that are going on four years old. They are still great layers and very healthy. One hen is laying thin shelled eggs and had a bout of being egg bound this summer. Now with extra calcium in her diet once a week she is back to laying 4 or 5 eggs per week. We just hatched chicks from the other "old" hen and the babies are perfect!

 

[birdman55]

@birdman55 what do you do with them after a year and a half? I wouldn't know where to take them or what to do with them. (if they end up not producing).

I butcher them and eat them..i want the birds to be as productive and at the same time I don't wanna eat rock hard meat...the difference between a one year old to a four year old bird..would just be like cutting a frozen steak...it would not be good and it would be so tough...older birds can produce..just not an egg a day...and when they get older there egg shells are very thin...even with extra calcium as age takes its toll the birds get weaker and it puts more strain on your birds and their organs...its like humans...if humans had a kid a year for twenty years straight there bodies would not be able to handle it and they would become weaker...same concept...you wanna do whats going to get you the most in all aspect...unless you like paying for something to look at...everything in my life has a function and it pays for itself..for example when a birds production slows...so does my slow cooker...and then the younger ones get older and they take there place...there is really no point to have a chicken more then a year...unless your breeding


silver golden pheasant...anyone with these birds please pm me

 

[paxinospullets]

I agree with your philosophy actually. I don't know how to do it, the killing part. I have never hunted, dressed, or any of that. I know people that have and do, turkeys, deer, etc. So, I could get them to help and teach me possibly. Thanks for your input, really appreciate it.

 

[paxinospullets]

@ochochicas I will see if mine increase as daylight increases. If not, we will make the decision then. I thank you for the information re: your chickens and how they've produced. My son is 13 and I am hoping to have him more involved in the economic connection to farm animal raising. I home school him and it's nice to be able to teach him things that will be useful and practical for living.

 

[birdman55]

im just the farmer...not the killer...I hold the bird my girl does the killing...it is a lot better if you just cut the neck and hold the bird for about 30 seconds...rather then cutting its head off...