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Won't lay eggs

4K views 51 replies 22 participants last post by  Stiveli 
#1 ·
I got about 16 hens that won't lay eggs I know some are not big enough but that leaves 12 that can and don't the ain't sick they get good feed have clean water and no odd violent behavior going on and the don't eat the eggs I can't figure it out


Any ideas please
 
#9 ·
If it is hot, the biddies here take a break.
Doesn't say where you are located, but it's hot in a lot of places.

my experience where I am is non laying begins in Oct - goes to (varies) I've had - end of Dec, middle of Jan, or Feb being when an egg or two gets laid. Then back at it by the end of Feb.

I am Zone 5b
 
#10 ·
Chickens, depending on breed, lay 250-300 eggs per yr (roughly 2 every 3 days. In my experience with free range, heritage breeds, that's true for their first full year of laying (they start ~ 6-8 months old) but then starts to decline, and by their 3rd yr, they may not be worth the cost of feed.

Reasons for sudden decline-- weather (too hot/ too cold) diminished light (winter/ long cloudy period); molting; emotional factors (pecking order fights/cramped quarters/ threats from varmints, etc) or "pseudo-decline" (egg eating or hiding eggs); nutritional deficiencies. there's probably others.

You may not have evidence that predators are bothering them, but maybe they're around and threatening them?
 
#13 ·
I got about 16 hens that won't lay eggs I know some are not big enough but that leaves 12 that can and don't the ain't sick they get good feed have clean water and no odd violent behavior going on and the don't eat the eggs I can't figure it out


Any ideas please
You may have another predator getting your eggs. Snakes can leave no trace they were there.
 
#16 ·
A couple of years ago I bought 60 laying hens from a man whose parents had passed away and he didn't ant to deal with them. After we brought them back to the house quite a while. A friend of mine told me told give them some cheap dry cat food and it seemed to kick start them back to laying. They started back up a few days after I started putting the cat food out.
 
#30 ·
@William buff, so you don't know how old the other chickens are, you moved them from another place to yours and you changed their diet?

Moving them and changing their diet will mess with chicken cycles. It can take a couple months for them to start laying again.

Do your older chickens look like they are losing feathers? It is a bit early but the stress may have thrown them into an early molt.

Did the previous owners keep their coop lit at night? That would make a difference too.
 
#34 · (Edited)
How old are they? Black Austrolorp start laying at 6-7 months of age: at least mine did. They lay well once they get going but they do not start laying as early as a Leghorn does.

Also my hens quit laying a week ago: they have started to moult. When chickens moult they often quit laying.

Laying hens need an 18% protein feed and most feed stores have 16% feed. That is why giving them the odd feed of cat food helps them to be good layers. That is also why a feed of grain will NOT help them lay. Corn is only about 9% protein, so if part of their food is 16% protein and part of their feed is 9% protein they will be indifferent layers.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Your birds may be gearing up for molt. Start by making sure they aren't breaking their eggs or snakes/other critters aren't getting to the eggs before you.

Second, feed them a complete ration. Scratch is like running on donuts. Sure, you won't die right off, but you're missing out on of a whole lot of nutrition. I err on the higher protein end, 18-20% year round.
 
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