LAYING HENS chickens please help....?

Question

I rescued almost 70 warrens from a barn, they were destined for the chop. Most of the feathers are back now and they are looking pretty good, my problem is I am only getting 7 to 9 eggs per day. They are fed wheat and layers mash, they roam free during daylight on 1 acre of grass and are stabled at dark. Why are they not laying???

Answer 1

this link might offer some clues

http://www.gomestic.com/Pets/Unusual-Pet...

I know daylight does effect them as does age.  

if they just finished a molt probably that could be it too..

make sure they are on LAYER ration in addition to the grass!

Answer 2

They are old girls now?

Answer 3

The reason the hens were for the chop is because they were past laying, as far as commercial egg producing goes, which is why they won't be laying now.  Chickens produce eggs almost every day from the point of lay at six months old, to about the third year when they either stop all together, or just lay the odd one every now and again with no fixed routine.

In your case, you have 70, so odd eggs every now and again add up to quite a lot or at least more than you can eat on your own.

In your details you mention wheat and layers mash, and have access to grass, however what you need to bear in mind is that is they are recovering from stress caused by a long time in confined space, and the loss of feathers means they are using the nutrients and energy from their food to build up their immunity and regrow their feathers.  There is also the possibility that being confined until recently has made them fat, and fat chickens don't lay eggs very well.

An idea you could use is change from wheat to mixed cracked corn which has wheat in it but also layers pellets and corn which provides a higher energy and nutrient level with more trace elements and vitamin content.  You also need to provide a constant supply of oystershell grit which helps build strong egg shells and lacking this, the birds can actually fall back on egg production.  Its not enough to say they have access to a field as not all stones and grit can be soluble in the stomach and may simply pass through without doing any good.

The other point to bear in mind is to collect the eggs as soon as they are laid as confined birds can develop the habit of egg pecking which is where the egg is laid but immediately consumed by the hen or others, leaving little or no remains to be seen.  A way round this is to place ping pong balls in the nest box for the chooks to attempt to eat.  They soon grow tired of it or failing that, fill an egg shell with mustard or horseradish sauce and let them try and eat that.

Age in chickens does not always have an effect on egg laying.  Most of my chickens lay into old age just not every day but I do have a West Sussex who is fourteen year old and still lays at least every other day.

Answer 4

Maybe try and change the feed to chicken feed (grains, bird seeds). They could be slightly old now though and not able to lay anymore. Or just give them more time to adjust to their surroundings as they could still be quite wary. Good on you though for saving them i wish there were more people like you =]

Answer 5

sorry cant help you but just wanted to say how cool i think it is that youv rescued them!! Good on you!!  heres to many omlettes in the future!!

Answer 6

if they were going to be killed they are most likely old hens. Older hens lay less eggs until eventually they stop. Do you know what age they are? They might not lay alot more eggs than this.

Do they have suitable laying space... make them feel secure and relaxed, perhaps try to modify the laying perches, if they're young and still not laying this might help.

Well done for saving them though. I wish more peole were like you.

I'm glad they have a happy home now! :)

Answer 7

hi whot ask a vet the ansewere can help sorry

Answer 8

Depends on the ahe and breed. If they are older than 6 monthss they should lay eggs if they are older than 3 yrs old they stop laing. Are you sure all are hens. Some may look it but they dont lay if the are roos. Mabe trhey have not enuff sunlight in the coop, they like to be in the sun, it gives off there horamone levels to lay. So try to make the coop expecially the nesting boxes have light in it.

If they are recently new and you have had them for less than 1-3 months, give it time to get use to there surroundings. I had a hen who didnt lay until 3 monhs later.

Answer 9

First of all....Well Done You!!!

Don't panic!

We 'rescue' hens on a regular basis. It takes a lot of effort simply to regrow their feathers. Remember, they have been accustomed to 16 hours of 'sunlight' each day. It will take them several weeks to adjust.

At this time of year, they start to slow down with their egg production, unless there is artificial lighting. They will be grateful of the rest :)

They will soon be producing eggs on a regular basis. They will continue to do so for the next several years, and the eggs will taste like nothing you can buy in any supermarket!

Last year, when our hens went 'off lay', we ended up actually buying some 'organic' free range eggs.

Euch!! We ended up doing without :)

Persevere! and again, WELL DONE YOU!!!