No eggs

[delrio]

I have barred rocks that are a little over a year old. They started molting in July and have not layed an egg since. I also have rhode island reds that are seven months old and they have not started laying. I don't have a way to give them extra light but you would think I'd at least get some eggs. :sad:
They free range and I also give them pellets.
Are they ever gonna give me eggs again? :unsure:

[momma_to_seven_chi]

They should in the spring as long as they are getting enough calcium. Hens just don't lay well in the winter. I haven't gotten any eggs at all this week even with extra lighting in the hen house. It's a seasonal thing.

I don't know why they didn't lay after July. Mine lay well into November, then slow down. You do have to make sure they get enough calcium and protein.

[deeker]

Are they healthy??? I am wondering if they might have parasites.....weight normal???

Calcium is a biggie too. We used to give them "Piprezine" for worms and supplemental electolites...for stress.

Kevin

[sher]

we had the same thing this summer, we made sure they were getting a 19 percent protein level food and with in days, eggs were coming- this time of year is tough with the short day light hours- but the food is a big factor- we feed scraps and corn, but keep protein food in front of them all of the time

[sbemt456]

Delrio do the chickens have access to the outdoors all day? If so ya my think about the possibility of them laying SOMEwhere besides in nest boxes or where you want them too. I had a couple pullets that I swear were standin at the door with their legs crossed when I let them out for the day. They would make a mad dash for the woods and in a few minutes they would announce the arrival. Well I never found the eggs but I do think Luna, my great pyrenees did. Then I also figured out she was stealing the eggs from the nest boxes inside the hen house too. :sad: But we solved that problem by putting up a gate that dont intimidate the chickens but she cant get in. All the pullets I have ever had have started laying at about 5 months of age and the dark cornish I have now are no exception. Just some thoughts.


Have a great day!

stella

[delrio]

To answer everyones questions:

They appear healthy, weight seems fine.
They free range all day but it's pretty open here, not really anyplace to lay eggs.
We actually kept them cooped up about a month ago for five days just to make sure they weren't laying somewhere else and still had no eggs.
We feed them pellets everyday so they should have plenty of protein, plus we feed them scraps.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Another thread made me think of this--- Are they eating the eggs before you get them? maybe they did lay this year, and simply ate them before you got them.

[Andy Jones]

I've had this same problem.Here in east central MS,my hens lay well until about mid-July or August,when it gets very hot and humid.Around October,when it begans to cool down,they lay fairly well and continue through the winter.However,this year,I didn't get a single egg from October until mid-November(35 hens).I started getting a few eggs and now at the present I'm getting 4-12 eggs a day.All of my hens are 1 and 2 years old and in very good condition.My neighbors have all had the same problem.This has never happened to me before and I don't know the cause.I'm feeding the same feed and doing just like I always have.This year was the first time I've had to buy eggs since I began to keep chickens.

Andy

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Could it be the buffalo gnats? Did you all have that problem in your area this year? They were killing chickens all along the Mississippi, around the MO/IL/Iowa border, so we kept them in rather than letting them roam. People who let their hens out did stop getting eggs, and many chickens died. I don't know how far those gnats spread, but the time of year is right. Maybe that is what stopped your hens from laying last summer. I know people who lost most of their flocks from them. One friend of mine lost all her silkies.

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=buffalo+gnats+kill+chickens&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Deberosa]

I am beginning to wonder about chickens! We did not get lights to ours this year and our highest production day was the very shortest day of the year. That included a huge snow storm too!

We feed a mash instead of pellets and it has the calcium mixed in. Wish we didn't have to do that but until we get grain growing here that's our choice.

We have a combination of Barred Rocks, Rhode Island reds, buff orpingtons, and red sex links all from 5 to 7 months old. 14 from 24 hens is still not great but for the middle of winter that's pretty good. We still get 10-12 every day now. So I am wondering if there is not enough calcium in the pellets or if they somehow digest the mash better than the pellets?

[delrio]

Another thread made me think of this--- Are they eating the eggs before you get them? maybe they did lay this year, and simply ate them before you got them.
They are not eating them. You can tell that they haven't been in the nest boxes at all.

I've had this same problem.Here in east central MS,my hens lay well until about mid-July or August,when it gets very hot and humid.Around October,when it begans to cool down,they lay fairly well and continue through the winter.However,this year,I didn't get a single egg from October until mid-November(35 hens).I started getting a few eggs and now at the present I'm getting 4-12 eggs a day.All of my hens are 1 and 2 years old and in very good condition.My neighbors have all had the same problem.This has never happened to me before and I don't know the cause.I'm feeding the same feed and doing just like I always have.This year was the first time I've had to buy eggs since I began to keep chickens.



Andy
I've heard of others having the same problem. I wonder whats up with that

Could it be the buffalo gnats? Did you all have that problem in your area this year? They were killing chickens all along the Mississippi, around the MO/IL/Iowa border, so we kept them in rather than letting them roam. People who let their hens out did stop getting eggs, and many chickens died. I don't know how far those gnats spread, but the time of year is right. Maybe that is what stopped your hens from laying last summer. I know people who lost most of their flocks from them. One friend of mine lost all her silkies.

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=buffalo+gnats+kill+chickens&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
No buffalo gnats, thank God :)

[cinok]

This may sound stupid but do they haqve enough water. Is thier waterer empty when you check it. An egg is mostly water if they are only getting enough for thier needs they will not have enough for eggs. We had to put in a second waterer for our hens

[Anon001]

I would have to chime in. lol... I would bet that your hens are laying outside. I realize you said that you didn't see them. You would be amazed at how a hen can hide eggs.

The other thing I find odd is that they molted in July. I would never keep a hen that molts in summer. Typically, you have two molts per year. One is in the Fall and one in the Spring. Hens typically slow to almost no eggs between the two molts.

With the breeds you have, they should be laying even without high protein laying mash.

Mine free range and eat almost no feed I put out for them.

The other thing about them eating eggs. They can eat the inside of the egg and the shell. Many times they won't eat the shell, but a dog will.

You can also have snakes taking your eggs. You would be surprised how many eggs just one black snake can steal.

I wouldn't get too worried just yet. I would wait until after a spring molt and see if they start laying better. If not, then they are either hiding the eggs or something is stealing them.

I know that most heavy breed hens should be laying at 5 to 6 months. But there have been times that I've had them not start laying until as late as 8 months.

Good luck... chickens really are about the easiest thing to keep.

Paul

[delrio]

They always have plenty of water.

I sure hope they start soon or we're just gonna give up and have lots of chicken noodle soup :sarcastic:

[Terri]

Delrio, it happens. My own hens have started to lay just last week: since we are only 1 state away perhaps yours will soon lay also?

Chickens are birds, and why would any bird try to raise babies in THIS weather??? They wouldn't, that's what: they would wait until spring!

We can trick them with lights and high protien diets and selective breeding and whatever, but some years it works better than others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I very often get eggs in the winter, but not always.

[delrio]

Delrio, it happens. My own hens have started to lay just last week: since we are only 1 state away perhaps yours will soon lay also?

Chickens are birds, and why would any bird try to raise babies in THIS weather??? They wouldn't, that's what: they would wait until spring!

We can trick them with lights and high protien diets and selective breeding and whatever, but some years it works better than others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I very often get eggs in the winter, but not always.
Thanks for the encouragment!!

We found a way to give them some light and have had it on for the last five days. I hope they lay soon, I just paid $1.75 for a dozen eggs, nutz!

[Terri]

I hope they lay soon, I just paid $1.75 for a dozen eggs, nutz!

And I bought 3 dozen in the past 4 weeks. Nutz indeed!

There are now 3 whole home-grown eggs in the fridge, but that will not last past the next childs baking attack! Both of my kids like to cook.......

[duckidaho]

seems you should be getting some eggs at least. Do you have a rooster? I know rooster's aren't necessary, but I think ours helps keep the hens laying. We get about 8-12 eggs per day from 35 hens. In Northern Idaho. Are you feeding "layer" feed? High protein+calcium? We use both light and heat in the coop. (heat only when it goes below 15 degrees.)