Broody but not laying !!!

Chappers · « **on:** March 05, 2008, 16:09 »

MY Maran lays 2 eggs in 3 days usually, and the Rhode Island stands outside the house and watches/waits. She also spends time sitting on an empty nest but is not laying. Both are about a year old and apart from her being a dud are there any other reasons why she may not be laying. Her comb looks the same as the Maran. Could she just be a late starter, but i thought she would of layed by now if she was going to. Good job ive ordered a couple of ex batts for the end of the month.

Paul

babe · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2008, 16:18 »

hi paul, please dont count on the ex batts for a reliable egg source.

in cages they have nothing else to do but eat layers mash and drink water... and lay an egg.

once they realise that there's more to life, and more choice of what to eat, they seem to take egg laying as second to having fun.

but i think they have truly deserved such a holiday and using all their energy in getting back to being happy healthy chickens.

Chappers · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2008, 16:24 »

To be honest we struggle to use the eggs we get from just one and any extra will be a bonus that friends can have, for a small fee of course. Im getting the ex batts as i have plenty of room for a few more, and having been one of the people who has eaten their eggs in the past i feel its only right that they should have an enjoyable retirement

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2008, 16:24 »

Have you searched around to see if she lays any where else :?:

Chappers · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2008, 15:53 »

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

Have you searched around to see if she lays any where else :?:

Yes and have found nothing :?

dangolding · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2008, 20:42 »

We had late starters with our first batch of chickens - in fact 1 hen was nearly 8 months old before she started laying!

We also found that if we gave them too many treats/leftovers then they didn't lay any eggs - a bit like children not eating their dinner as they've had too many sweets.

We've got the balance right now, but if you are giving them a lot of scraps then that might have something to do with it.

Chappers · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2008, 18:00 »

Quote from: "dangolding"

We had late starters with our first batch of chickens - in fact 1 hen was nearly 8 months old before she started laying!

We also found that if we gave them too many treats/leftovers then they didn't lay any eggs - a bit like children not eating their dinner as they've had too many sweets.

We've got the balance right now, but if you are giving them a lot of scraps then that might have something to do with it.

They dont get too many scraps cos i like my food. I feed them layers pellets and mixed corn at a ratio of 5/1, 4 oz per bird and they have the run of the garden :?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2008, 18:37 »

My chooks have layers pellets ad lib all day, and a hand full of mixed corn each in the afternoon, just before bed time. Throught the winter I have been giving them some hot mash in the early afternoon which they love. They are beautifully healthy and laying for queen and country

ck2day · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2008, 21:05 »

[Have you searched around to see if she lays any where else :?:[/quote]

Yes and have found nothing :?[/quote]

Try following her first thing in the morning, thats how i managed to find the 18 that my little darlings had laid somewhere else !!

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