hi,i'm new to this site & only had hens for a few weeks.problem is i've got 4 hens all about 22 weks old now,2 of them were laying regularly,2 not started yet.the 2 that have been laying have now stopped & i don't know why.they free range until dark then go into a secure coop at night,they seem very happy & healthy.feed them on layer pellets with a small amount of corn scattered for a treat,water always there ,bedding kept clean.am i doing anything obviously wrong?feeder is kept topped up.any tips welcome.
poor laying
- Thread starter Martdog3
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chrismahon
Well-known member
Hi. Welcome to chicken keeping. They are very young so obviously hybrids. Probably due to delayed stress and nothing you have done. Think they will start laying again soon. Presumably they are parasite free- no red mite or lice?
bantiekeeper
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Agree with Chrismahon. Could be delayed stress due to new environment. It's early days yet. Do they have access to a dust bath or an area where they can create one?
I think you were quite lucky to get two of them into lay as early as 22 weeks. i've had a few hybrids and none of them laid before 23 weeks and two went to 28 weeks. I believe commercially-reared hybrids are forced into lay as early as possible by special techniques of lighting and feeding, which aren't actually very good for the hens in the long run. Under your excellent care, yours will settle into lay in their own good time, one just has to be patient, hard though this is! There's a big variation in 'hen puberty' even among the same breed or hatch of pullets, just as there is in humans. They get there in the end, but often take a while to settle into a regular routine of laying good-sized eggs. You'll be giving away surplus eggs in a few weeks, I'm sure.
It's not unusual for them to go off lay after they've moved so they should start again. They do vary, even in the same batch.
The thing that has caught us out in the Forum before - if they're out free ranging, have they made a nest somewhere and are laying their eggs there ? I'd check carefully, all the places they have access to.
The thing that has caught us out in the Forum before - if they're out free ranging, have they made a nest somewhere and are laying their eggs there ? I'd check carefully, all the places they have access to.
victorias poultry
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Agree with Marigold, the girls will start laing when they are good and ready, all good things come to those who wait
many thanks for all your advice.they're all pest free,can't find eggs anywhere else & they have dust bath so i will obviously just have to be patient.still they're very amusing characters and most relaxing to watch,thanks again-martdog3.
