wWhat is going on with this laying

[embrown]

Okay! my girls are about 2 days short of 21 weeks. There are 3 ISA Browns, one of which laid at about 14 weeks, the others started somewhere in the 18th week. Then I have 3 Bard Rocks. All seem to be gals as there is no crowing going on out there. One of the Bard Rocks began to lay at around 19 weeks. Another got sick at about 19 weeks so I figure it may take some more time before she lays, yet, at 21 weeks she is not laying yet. The last BR has not laid either. Maybe it is that "birds of a feather" thing and the two are holding out together. For the last 7 days I was getting four pretty eggs...one double yolk...from the 6 girls. Then yesterday, I only got one egg. What is up with that? Then today, only 2 eggs were laid. Why a drop so quickly? Why are 2 still not laying? Is there anything I can do to make sure everything is just as they need it to lay, consistantly.

What I am doing:
1. Free choice layer feed, all birds since 14 weeks for all
2. Fresh water, most days with vitamins as I was trying to help the sick one build up again and wanted to make sure the others do not get ill.
3. Free choice grit
4. Free choice shell
5. Yogurt about 2-3 tablespoons for the whole flock just since the one was sick
6. Clean coop, free range in an enclosed pen...most days...where there is fresh grass and no predators
7. They are in the coop with fresh air "porch" until they lay, which is not until after noon most days.
8. There is a window in the coop with sunlight from the West and the light is switched on before hubby leaves for work, so about 8 A.M. until they go outside.
9. No one seems to be molting or acting strangely. The only odd thing is that the 2 that are not laying always have the least full crop at perch time. Everyone has a crop the size of a small orange, and those 2 girls have crops that are a large marble. I am wondering if they are being restricted from food in some sort of pecking order, but I have not observed this. I do not have anywhere to separate them, so what can I do to make sure they get enough.

Is it just that they are still young and inconsistant or is there something I should be doing or checking for? This is my first chickens, we love the eggs, but we really love the birds just as our wonderful pets.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Beth

 

[ella]

Nothing strange about that laying. They're still very young, you can never really expect to get an egg a day from every single hen, or anything near that really. They normally vary widely in how much they lay, depending on what's going on in the flock.

Something to think about is that super high production is really not great for their health. You might find yourself dealing with reproductive problems down the road especially with the ISA's.

I lost 4 of my original five within the first 4 years. That was hard.

If you want to have them around longer, I personally would cut out the artificial light. Though I don't know if it would make much difference at this point. And I'm sure some will disagree, I'm just talking from personal experience.

It's normal for the girls who aren't laying actively to eat less. I would bet that's all that's going on there. It wouldn't hurt to check the meat on either side of their keel bones. if they're being bullied and not getting enough they will feel very skinny and the keel will be sharp.

 

[Judy]

I agree totally with ella. The extra light might increase laying for the short term, but it won't over the long term. And they will be healthier if
they can operate normally. They were never designed to lay an egg EVERY day.