hi,anyone got any tips please.i have 10 hybrid hens,4 @ 6months old,5 @ about 1 year old & 1 pol @ 20 weeks.got 1 egg today and this is not an isolated event.best i ever get is 4.breeds are warren,speckeldy and copper black,they free range,have loads of water and are kept scrupulously clean.can't find any eggs being laid out of coop.all have been with me for at least 4 weeks,most for 3 months now.they get layer pellets,a little corn for a treat and occasional vegetable scraps plus whatever they find free ranging.they all seem perfectly happy,usual pecking order and no sign of any pests or infections.i am very fond of my hens but cannot figure out why they don't lay better.any help appreciated.
laying
- Thread starter Martdog3
- Start date
chrismahon
Well-known member
No I can't understand it either -should be getting at least 5 and in a few weeks about 10. Is someone eating or stealing them? When we moved here the previous owner had some old hens. Said he never got any eggs, but when we cleared the canal bank there was a huge pile of egg shells. Something was taking them out of the coop onto the bank and eating them there, so no evidence immediately visible, hence assuming they were not laying.
foxy
Active member
Are they all in lay? From what I can gather you have 5 hens roughly at POL..have these come into lay? The year olds may be slowing down which is normal this time of year particulary if this is their second laying season, however I would have expected a few more however this time of year certainly from this years pullets.
Just keep an eye on them for now for signs of early moulting or illness.
Just keep an eye on them for now for signs of early moulting or illness.
Have you never had eggs from the one year olds or have they just gone off lay. If so, they are probably in or about to go into a moult. It's usually only the Warrens that are precocious and start laying early. Speckeldy and Copper Black, even if they are hybrids will probably start to lay later than the Warrens.
Have you tried feeling the width between the bones under the tail near the vent. You should be able to get two or three fingers width beween them.
Have you tried feeling the width between the bones under the tail near the vent. You should be able to get two or three fingers width beween them.
E3lx
New member
Agree with chuck, check for signs of moulting etc.