Chickens not laying

bbam

So we had a great run last year with our few chickens... Then they went on their expected break at the end of the year as we expected.. Quite happy with that and we don't use any artificial light..

But they haven't started back yet, this time last year they had started laying.. The look great, plump and their feathers are good.. I couldn't see any signs of mites in the house and its cleaned regularly and fresh straw in the nest boxes..

How are others doing?? Should I be concerned ??

aonb

Remember the hens are now a year older, so will not be as prolific as last year...

You say they are in good shape/condition - are their combs/wattles red?

Have they been wormed?

What are you feeding them? Are they free range? What time do you let them out of the coop in the morning?

My lot slowed down for a few weeks before xmas, but only stopped laying for about a week. We are back in full production since. Ive been upping their protein and calcium levels a bit to keep them laying well. I give them a bit of mixed corn in the afternoons too, to warm them for the night. I have a bit of shelter to keep them dry as well - no point in expending egg-laying energy on keeping warm if they are soaked! Theres a great 'stretch' in the days now, so hopefully your lot will start producing soon

bbam

Their Combes look good and vibrant. They have an outdoor run which is covered so sheltered from the worst of the rain.
I don't let them out as such and we never close the door of the coop. They are free to go in and out at their leisure.

Feed wise they get a mix if layers mash and crushed oats, with ample water available. Try get kitchen scraps too.

They haven't been wormed. I'll look into that one. They get fresh sand regularly.

I'm not fussed about the supply of eggs as long as they are healthy and happy as really they are pets for the kids. They're 3 years old now.

aonb

If they are now 3 years old, you will see a drop in egg production. Are they hybrids? They usually lay better than pure breeds (altho pure breeds can lay less eggs for longer)
If their combs/wattles are red they sound well. If you dont lock them in their coop they are getting as much daylight as possible then (daylight is the one serious contributing factor to egg production). Hopefully they will start laying again for you soon.
Sounds like you are doing everything right. I worm my lot 3 times a year - Flubenvet is the best wormer you can get.
What do you mean when you say you give them sand??
You could increase their protein and calcium levels for a week or two to see if that would give them a boost? Protein = give them a bit of tinned (not in brine) oily fish - mash up sardines or mackeral or tuna or even fishy pate-type cat food - see if they'll eat it - a small bit a few times/week. Calcium = I give mine a bit of probiotic natural yogourt a couple times/week - they go MAD for it! Its also excellent for keeping the balance healthy in their crops

tattycat

Hiya bbam. Its like aonb says, the days are stretching, the hens are older everything your doing sound good, should be laying soon. Not all of mine are back in lay yet, however the hen that had chicks New Year has started laying again!! She's a keen girl!!lol Could try giving them some garlic in their water.....
Re sand. Can be given as a dust bath also as a form of grit

bbam

Yea the sand is just to ensure enough grit about in the run..
I'll get a wormer and see how it goes..

They're hybrid and I wouldnt have thought three years was old..

aonb

Do you mean regular sand? If its for their crops, you should really be using oyster shell or grit.

Could you be over feeding them - when you say plump, do you mean fat? Not meaning to 'insult' your girls or anything, but a fat hen wont lay!! (one of my elderly hens is very fat, she gave up laying about 5 years ago!!!!!)

What is the run covered with - i.e. is it dark in their run? Really daylight is critical for egg production

Cant think of what else to suggest.
Three years is getting on - their egg production will drop steadily once they get to 3. Hens are born with a finite number of ova - how long their laying span is, will depend on the breed and their diet/health. I have a pure breed that was laying the odd egg up til this winter - shes 8! My very small power-layer hybrids were laying an egg/day up until the winter, now its 1 egg/2 days - they're coming up to 3 years old.

bbam

Still no eggs :(
They were wormed last week, I've added a tonic to their drink that I picked up in the vets office.
Changed the layers mash brand.

Inspected the house and no sign of mites, cleaned and treated it anyway..

I can't understand it.. This is their third season so they are in no way past laying age, and all four shouldnt stop for good all at the one time..

They are up and about early in the morning till late evening...

They seem happy in themseles and their appetite is good..

Are everyone else's girls back in production by now ??

aonb

they're wormed, they have sufficient daylight, eating well, only 3yrs old, so why arent they laying??! Are you SURE rats or crows or magpies arent taking any eggs? Or have you seen the hens going in to the coop to lay at all during the day? Mine are same age as you, never actually stopped laying - slowed down certainly, but are back to full production now since Jan. Are your girls combs nice and red? If you are feeding them pellets (i.e. have all necessary nutrients) they are getting enough daylight hours, arent obese/overweight/overfed, they SHOULD be laying... sorry cant think of anything else - just quite odd that all four arent laying...

bbam

aonb wrote: »

they're wormed, they have sufficient daylight, eating well, only 3yrs old, so why arent they laying??! Are you SURE rats or crows or magpies arent taking any eggs? Or have you seen the hens going in to the coop to lay at all during the day? Mine are same age as you, never actually stopped laying - slowed down certainly, but are back to full production now since Jan. Are your girls combs nice and red? If you are feeding them pellets (i.e. have all necessary nutrients) they are getting enough daylight hours, arent obese/overweight/overfed, they SHOULD be laying... sorry cant think of anything else - just quite odd that all four arent laying...

No Crows or Mags about the chickens at all...
I did wonder about rats or similar vermin stealing the eggs.. but could they steal from all four and never break an egg??
I'll investigate that further... I saw a mouse kicking around the pen but mice aren't a problem here as stray cats keep them under control...

I have a steel rat trap from a problem many years ago.. I think I'll bait it for the crack now and see what happens....

dozy doctor

aonb wrote: »

Do you mean regular sand? If its for their crops, you should really be using oyster shell or grit.

Sorry just wanted to hijack this conversation as I plan on covering the entire run in Sand for my hens, but what is the best sand to get from the Builder Providers? Soft fine sand or more stoney sand?

aonb

I would say that the more coarse the sand the better, otherwise the poo would 'clump' in finer sand as time goes by. Is your drainage pretty good - I would be concerned that very wet sand would start to smell eventually?(there is a product called Stanosan F which is a sanitizer for poultry you might want to look at)

There is a website - link below - that I use for Hen related information, which is really helpful and comprehensive - check out the run covering discussions on their Hen Keeping Forum.

http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=8

and one of many topics covering this subject:

http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47105

bbam

Thought I'd circle back on this thread...

SO I went looking and I indeed have had rats.. Can't beleive I didnt notice before, the run backs onto a ditch and their weere three burrows in it.. I went out one night and stood around and sure enough a rat appeared in no time.. We keep bait down on the farm all the time, I should have realised to do it here.. :rolleyes:

So I got some throw packets and tucked them into the burrows, they were gone in 24 hours... Same again and indeed they were hungry - all gone again.

Waited 24 hours and then replaced bait - nothing !!

So I'll keep bait down now all the time and see how it goes...


OH.. And it seems one of the girls has now started laying, one egg a day now. Maybe the rodent activity was stressing the chickens and they were's laying - is this plausible ??

aonb

dont know if the rats would actually put the hens off lay... Ive seen a rat in my hens run, and the hens hardly batted an eyelid - of course if you had 3 burrows and lots of rats about, who knows. The rats could have been taking eggs - eems a bit of a coincidence that a hen is starting to lay when you have removed the rat problem? The only other thing is that maybe the rats were stealing the hens food, so the hens werent getting enough, and were thus not laying?

Now that one is back on lay, hopefully the others will quickly follow suit!

bbam

aonb wrote: »

dont know if the rats would actually put the hens off lay... Ive seen a rat in my hens run, and the hens hardly batted an eyelid - of course if you had 3 burrows and lots of rats about, who knows. The rats could have been taking eggs - eems a bit of a coincidence that a hen is starting to lay when you have removed the rat problem? The only other thing is that maybe the rats were stealing the hens food, so the hens werent getting enough, and were thus not laying?

Now that one is back on lay, hopefully the others will quickly follow suit!

Hopefully so..
I've been told to give them fennel seeds as apparently it promotes oestrogen and laying... any merit in this ?? It couldn't do any harm anyway ??

aonb

Yes, Ive heard about Fennel and oestregen but dont know if there is any real benefit. Ive spent so much money on my hens over the years - coops, runs, wire, feeders, drinkers, diatom, wormers etc etc before you even mention pellets/grain the eggs I get from them while delicious/healthy, at this rate cost me a FORTUNE!!!! Hens are born with a finite number of eggs in their production systems. If we feed them pellets, provide fresh water and shelter, and daylight anything we get from them is bonus. Ive got retired hens eating their heads off for years and the current lot that are laying, I will retire and just buy new pullets when that time comes. Basically I treat my hens as pets with bonus of eggs.