hens not laying...?

Giffen Farms · Post by **Giffen Farms** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:25 am

I have a breeder flock of 12 standard heritage silver laced wyandottes +1 americauna, 9 of them are first year layers, 2 are second year layers and 1 is on her third year, plus 1 first year rooster, the 9 are currently 7 months old and have yet to produce a single egg, the 3 older birds - well 2 of them stopped laying in early February and the americauna is now an egg every 2-3 days instead of everyday, have/are about to molting - they've done their time and deserve a break.

Any idea's :question: :question:

All are fed a textured Purina laying crumble, at first I thought it was a crowding issue so I moved them to a bigger pen with access to outside, I'm stumped, if I can't get any eggs soon I might cull the works and start from scratch.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:49 am

I think you just need to threaten them really good. LOL. But it just could that they have been moved to a new coop. threaten them and give them some time. the weather has been crazy up n down so thats not helping things either...

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:52 am

Don't give up yet, I have learned to live with the fact the dual purpose Heritage breeds will take a brake when they need it.
On a plus side they never look as horribly bedraggled as the layer breeds on a minus side, you will never get the number of eggs you would get from the breeds that are specifically bred for laying.
Both Wyandotte and Ameraucanas are average layers (200+ eggs per year) Ameraucanas a bit better then Wyandottes in my experience.
I have put a Wyandotte breeding pen of 5 hens and a 10 month old cockerel together and they promptly stopped laying, 2 weeks later I am getting 3 eggs every other day, which is pretty infuriating when you are trying to collect eggs for hatching, but petty much par for the course.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:55 am

Give them another month, they'll be laying like crazy then.

Giffen Farms · Post by **Giffen Farms** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:33 pm

Ontario Chick wrote:QR_BBPOST Don't give up yet, I have learned to live with the fact the dual purpose Heritage breeds will take a brake when they need it.
On a plus side they never look as horribly bedraggled as the layer breeds on a minus side, you will never get the number of eggs you would get from the breeds that are specifically bred for laying.
Both Wyandotte and Ameraucanas are average layers (200+ eggs per year) Ameraucanas a bit better then Wyandottes in my experience.
I have put a Wyandotte breeding pen of 5 hens and a 10 month old cockerel together and they promptly stopped laying, 2 weeks later I am getting 3 eggs every other day, which is pretty infuriating when you are trying to collect eggs for hatching, but petty much par for the course.

Oh I know, these are the offspring from the original pair from about 4 years ago, keeping breeders for about 5+ years now, and is very frustrating when I had to unplugged the incubator and the phone constantly ringing with people wanting silver laced chicks

Giffen Farms · Post by **Giffen Farms** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:41 pm

thegawd wrote:QR_BBPOST I think you just need to threaten them really good. LOL. But it just could that they have been moved to a new coop. threaten them and give them some time. the weather has been crazy up n down so thats not helping things either...

I really shouldn't complain, they've been non stop laying for the last 14 months straight, but my blue cochins have been non stop laying since February, I have more of those chick than I know what to do with

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 4:13 pm

ahhh haa! yup then its time for a break. sounds like you have a great flock!

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 4:23 pm

Giffen Farms wrote:QR_BBPOST

Oh I know, these are the offspring from the original pair from about 4 years ago, keeping breeders for about 5+ years now, and is very frustrating when I had to unplugged the incubator and the phone constantly ringing with people wanting silver laced chicks

)You probably aren't missing much , Wyandottes tend to be fertile later in the spring anyway, like Kenya said wait another month....
I just checked the fertility, it's only 30% no point setting eggs until it shows at least 75%
So I am also impatiently waiting

Giffen Farms · Post by **Giffen Farms** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:11 pm

thegawd wrote:QR_BBPOST ahhh haa! yup then its time for a break. sounds like you have a great flock!

Yes I do, you got me thinking now, could it be a genetic issue? I started with 1 pair about 3-4 years ago getting a ratio of 60:40 pullets:cockerels, kept back a select few pullets and bred them back to the father, did that every year, my last hatch these guys gave me a 90:10 ratio pullets:cockerels, he's been retired as he's been throwing deformed chicks, I might be back at square one with this new guy

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:52 pm

A new rooster, especially an inexperienced one, can really throw a wrench into the works, I find. Once he gets the hang of mating quickly and efficiently, the hens accept him more and eggs start back up. The prisses are fussy about any change i n their environment, even one for the better like a larger coop LOL . Also, Al is right about threatening them--when my girls go on strike I give them the "where's my eggs?" lecture, if that doesn't work within a week, I start threatening the axe in a menacing fashion. I swear, it works every time! LOL! Keep in mind though that it's natural for them to take a good long break after extended laying, and nothing you can do about it but wait :/