Zero Eggs!!!

[jenmiller]

So i have like 40 Chickens, i have no idea what sex they are except for 1 rooster. Ive had them since they were like a week old back in April or May. No eggs yet either...what am i possibly doing wrong??

 

[Lesa]

Give us a little more info... Are they free ranging? If so, you will have to go on an easter egg hunt. They love to find an out of the way place to lay! Do they have nesting boxes? If so, you might put a golf ball in each nest, to help them get the idea. Are you feeding layer pellets? Do they have plenty of fresh water? Do the birds appear healthy? If you only have 1 rooster, then you should have 39 hens- which means eggs will be coming.

 

[jenmiller]

They are not free ranging, we have a problem with funky animals eating them. They are eating corn mixed with treats every once in a while when i have them and i also have quails and i give them some chick starter sometimes when the bag is low. They have new water 2 times a day and never empty when i go to refill. What in the world is a laying box and how do you make them??

 

[Yay Chicks!]

It sounds as though they are not getting the best nutrition right now. They need a good laying feed. They need calcium and protein to produce eggs at the least. A nesting box is a small box with hay or pine shavings in it, in a safe place in the coop where they go to lay eggs. With as many hens as you have, you will need several of these.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

By the way,

 

[jenmiller]

What would you consider a good laying feed?? ive seen like oyster shells and stuff like that at tractor supply but that is about it. Private mill maybe?

 

[dsqard]

Here is a good place to start on answering some of your questions. https://www.backyardchickens.com/cgi-bin/faq/mojofaq.cgi?cat=1 They may just not be ready to lay yet. Are you sure you only have one rooster?

 

[dsqard]

Quote:
You can find good enough laying feed at any feed store. It does not have to be from a private mill. Oyster shell is only for extra calcium, it is not food in itself. Purina and Nutrina both make good laying food.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
Tractor Supply will have Layer Feed. Oyster shell is for supplemental calcium. You can put some of that in a separate dish and they will take that as they need it.

 

[jenmiller]

Well he is the only rooster that i know of. All the other ones are smaller. Im not too sure what the difference between a hen and a rooster is when they are smaller so i really couldnt tell you how many roosters i have compared to hens. just one rooster that i know for sure of