Seems there haven't been any eggs here for a long time. I have 8 hens, and no eggs. I know that a couple are still young, 7 mos. but should be laying by now. A couple are molting, so they're not laying.
I hope these are the reasons.
One thing that concerns me though............................... We have some kind of burrowing pest, like a mole or gopher or something that is tunneling all over the back area around the pen. I've even seen where he's tunneled in under the pen fence. I see holes where he surfaces too. I don't know what to make of it. Could it be mice, rats or voles ? Could there be something eating the eggs ? Or is it just upsetting the hens to where they won't lay ?
Seems rather odd to me that no-one is laying an egg ..................????????
Anyone else have an experience with this ?
No eggs, hmmmmm
I have no experience with your tunneling marauder, but I'd be nervous about that too. What's the diameter of the holes? Are you able to check during the day to see if the girls are on the nests? Makes you want a web-cam...
After getting a new batch of chickens (added to the original 9), we went nearly two weeks without eggs. I couldn't figure it out, and I looked everywhere. I just didn't look well enough: a month later, when laying had resumed, I found two caches of eggs (over two dozen) hidden under a brush pile. I guess the older hens were just reacting to the new intruders by taking what they thought were extra security measures.
Do you have lighting set up for them?
Chickens pituitary gland is in their eye
Light triggers their reproductive hormones
In the fall,winter and spring,when days are short they need at least 16 hours of light to trigger the egg laying hormones
set up a light on a timer
Thanks.........both of you have offered ideas I may need to check out. It didn't really seem to me that there was less daylight until we went to daylight savings time. Now all of a sudden, it seems there's less daylight hours. I'm sure it's a combination of the time change and the actual realization to me that there is actually less daylight. I guess maybe my chickens would notice it before I did.
The tunnels I can see look about mouse-size. But the borrowing beneath the ground looks like moles. Seems thery're everywhere all of a sudden. All over the garden area and around the chicken pen.
I put out some mouse poison in their tunnels. Don't know if it will do any good since I'm not sure what it is..........but it will cut down on the mouse population around the chicken area, since there's always wasted feed that gets kicked out of the feeders.
Does anyone know what a vole is ? Seems I've read about them here on DG, but can't remember what they are. And I've never heard of them in our area, but that dosen't mean we don't have them here........just that I've never heard anyone refer to them.
Okie Dokie !!!..................... Now I know what I'm seeing........ voles. I posted in the vegetable garden forum asking what voles were. Farmerdill gave me some great links about voles. I'm pretty sure that's what we've got. All the signs are there. The little holes in the ground, the burrowed trails and spongy ground, even tunnels under the chickens' water dishes.
From what I understand, they are like a little mouse-type animal that tunnels and eats roots and vegetation. They must be totally out of control.............the tunnels and furrows are all over the garden and around the chicken pens. I guess they like the loose soil and chicken feed.
Check it out in the Veg. garden forum if you like. Farmerdill provided great info.
If I was a hen, it would make me nervous. Makes me a litlte skittish anyway, eeewwww.
They (hens) would probably catch them in the daylight when they could see them. But if they are scurrying around after dark, the girls can't see them, and it probably makes them nervous all night. Can't lay an egg if you can't get a good night's rest. lol. Makes sense to me.
Between taking care of that, and maybe a little more light on a timer, maybe we'll get eggs again someday soon.
Well, I had chicks last year that were born in late April but didn't lay until Christmas Day! So no worries, it'll happen. The light will affect them, for sure. Our egg production is going down as the days get shorter. That's the way it goes unless you artificially light them. I wouldn't be too worried. As to the voles, I am SURE that your girls could kick some voley butt if needed!
Lol. I'm sure you're right about that. Thanks :-)
What's the news, Peggie?
Regarding winter laying: I've never had decreased production. The cold-tolerant and thickly-feathered breeds like Orpington, RI Red, Brahma, Wyandotte all lay very well for me all winter with no supplemental light. They do lay a bit later in the day, though.
So far, I started putting rat posion down the little burrrow entrances................... and guess what !!!!!!!!! Eggs !
The second day after I planted the poison, I got 1 egg. The next day, I got 2. Pretty ironic I would think. I have 8 hens, and these two are the most apt to lay, they have always been my dependable ones, no matter how cold in winter or hot in summer.
Maybe the others are either too young yet or molting (I hope). A couple of the older ones that used to lay are kind of scraggly looking, like molt. And 3 in that pen are young , never layed yet (that I know of) but seem plenty old enough to start. And then, the others, I don't know what's going on with them. Their combs are nice and red compared to the ones that are young or molting....................but no eggs.
I'll keep planting the rat posion down the vole burrows and keep watching. I'll keep you posted.
My goodness.................I've planted 2 big boxes of rat poison so far. I must have had a
B-zillion voles out there! I can tell I've gotten rid of some, but there are a few new burrows and holes showing up..........so I know I didn't get them all.
I'm still just getting 2 eggs daily though. Maybe the rest of the girls will get busy soon.
In the mean-time, guess I'll get back to my 'rat-killin'. Got a brand new box of rat posion yesterday.
Hate to bring this up, but I've just read that some pullets who come of laying age in the fall will hold off until spring. Hope that's not the case w/ yours. It seems like that should only happen where the winters are cold, but I just don't know.
Hello everyone,
I don't wish to hijack this thread, but thought I would ask question here. I was under the understnding from books I read that laying age is around 17-19 weeks? Maybe I read wrong. I have a 11 week old buff orpington who has not layed an egg yet. I also picked up 2 new birds this past saturday Americanas who are about 9-10 weeks old. Though they are coming out of a molt. My orpington is well fed and watered fresh daily but has not layed an egg. They are confined so finding eggs is or will be easy.
Any one with advice?
calvin
My hatchlings from April didn't lay until 7 months of age: Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, RI Reds, Wyandottes, Australorps. Your ameraucanas must be feathering out, not moulting, if they're that young. You've got some time before those girls will be laying.
my first batch laid at 8 months ( it was in the winter, so that may have slowed them some to start) but the next group started at around 5 months. MAybe they were encouraged by the rest of the eggs?? a little motivation perhaps?
Definitely shoudn't be getting molting that young, I agree it is probably the feathering out process. THey look TERRIBLE as teens! So scruffy. but isn't it amazing?It really is!
My first molt happened this fall, when the gal in question was about 16 months old.
Hahahaha....well....we all know teens just seem to have their own style! Then eventually start to calm down and look like they belong to the human (or chicken) race.
Sooooooooooooo true ! Gotta go thru that awkward stage.
Zeppy, I'm thinking you are probably right about them (the younger ones) holding off a little longer since winter is coming on. The thing that puzzles me though, is that one of the bantams has laid maybe 6 eggs that I know of. Those were in the summer though. And one other that used to lay (even brooded and hatched eggs last year) is not laying. She looks nice and healthy and acts fine.........not scraggly like molt either. I just can't figure it out. She used to lay very regularly every day.........was one of my most dependable layers. But now it's been months since she has offered any eggs. They are all well fed and well cared for and seem happy enough in their pen......................no changes that I can pin-point. I'm realy puzzled. I keep hoping each day when I check, to find eggs, but the longer it goes, the more peculiar it seems to me. I'm just scratching my head and wondering on this one. I'll keep ya all posted.
HI, I was wondering if you guys/ gals could help me? My Dominique (if that's how you spell it), is not laying. It's been like this for about 1 1/2 months, I don't know what is wrong with it. I'm pretty scared that it might die. It's eyes are like partly closed, like it's tired. I sometimes goes into the coop and lays there for a little, probably five minutes. Would you guy know if it's sick or something else. Thanks
Eric19, I'm sorry I can't help you with this one. I'd be concerned, too. She's not eating? Is she trying to set on eggs?
PeggieK, I'm positive you've already thought about this, but you haven't changed feed on these birds, right? They're getting the layer ration now rather than the growing ration? They've got oyster shells or other access to calcium? My girls aren't laying any too well these days, but they're all coming out of moults... ugly!
Well Zeppy I did change their feed. They used to have layer, now since I had a few chicks join them in the coop, I changed it to grower. Do you think I should change back to layer. The guy I grt this feed from said that it's good for chicken because it's high in protien. See I have another chicken (white) it's a layer. I changed food on it too.
ERic, take her to the vet. If you think she is really sick. Maybe she has a low grade infection and needs an antibiotic. If you are really worried aobut it, I'd just take the plunge and take her to an exotic pets vet ( iguanas, birds, etc. ) Or if you have some sort of agricultural department at the university, they may be able to give you advice.
Godd luck and keep up updated!~
I've been in the 'no egg' situation since mid September - lots of molting going on. I recently changed to a higher protein feed in the hopes that would spur some production. Hadn't really been checking for eggs...until this morning. It was the coldest night of the season - 1 degree this morning. I went to clean out the nest boxes and *yay!* found a dozen (frozen) eggs!! Must have been the new hi protein feed.
Catherine
So far I'm feeding the same feed I always have. It's a 15% egg ration. I only tried changing their diet one time, and I got soft shelled eggs so I switched them back. Haven't ever changed it since then.
I did get an egg from one of my older bantams yesterday. She went broody this past spring for a while, but didn't follow thru, kept leaving the eggs for longer than she should have and they never hatched. But she tried. It was her first time. Maybe this spring, if she gets broody it will be better. She never was a reliable layer either. Maybe 3 or 4 eggs per week. Maybe she will get back to at least that now. I had to buy eggs at the store today so I could start a few Christmas baking projects.
Ouch, I know. I always glare at my hens when I have to walk past them to get in the car and go to the store for eggs.
Have you heard that very new eggs (1-3 days old) aren't so good for baking? I've thought about getting ducks for duck eggs, since they're supposed to be fantastic in baked goods...
I had never heard that. I knew they were harder to peel when boiled, but never heard about the baking difference.
I aand my family are enjoying our
duck eggs tremendously
calvin
lol @ Zeppy....I was wondering....does the glare work? :-)
Nope. Doesn't work on the kids either. 'Course, they were never good layers....
LOL....mine were pretty good layers....lay there and watch tv....lay there and play video games....lay there and read a book :-)
hahahaaha!
I give the teacher voice to my girls, although they tune me out. They do come when called, though! But that is probably due to the association with treats!
I bought an electricly heated dog bowl to keep the girls' water warm and it is AWESOME!
no more banging out pans at 6 am for this chickenmama!
Duck eggs are the best for baking. Very rich yolks.
That's the way to go. I hate breaking ice out of their water trays. One of these days when I can finally get my chickens to get along with each other...........and be in the same pen, ......... I'm going to get me one of those. Right now I have chickens in 3 different pens.
I swore I was going to change all that before this winter arrived.........sigh. I had planned to build all new pen area for them, but I just didn't seem to get all the things done that I wanted to.... before winter moved in. Does anyone ? LOL
PeggieK, if I actually accomplished EVERYTHING I had planned, I'd be completely done and God would take me on home! Somehow the list keeps growing, though, so I don't have to worry about death by completion, anyway! ;)
Brig, that's well said. Maybe we should even slow down a bit, ya think ? lol.
KSGrazier.............. 3,000 per acre ! Wow ! And most people I talk to (around here)about them just look at me and act like I invented this new creature in my head. They've never heard of them.
No wonder I'm having such a hard time with them. We have 1 & 1/4 acre and I think I must have at least the 3,000 in my garden spot. They ate up more of my garden this last season than we got to eat. I've even got holes in my raised garden boxes.
What do folks up your way do to get rid of them ? I've been planting the rat poison in their holes, but I don't know how much good I'm doing. I know I must be getting a few of them, but there are still plenty of holes appearing..........and if they multiply like mice or rabbits.....
I'm beginning to wonder if this could be a loosing battle.
You need a few cyotes (sp?). Voles are the mainstay of their diets. Of course, then you would have to worry about your chickens being the appetizers of their diet. LOL
Hmm, well, I used to hear coyotes in the distance, but haven't in a long time.
Our property is fenced in also...........so I guess they couldn't get in. Dog-gone-it ! lol
We have a little poodle, but he's pretty much worthless. He lives a cushy life inside with a little wicker basket bed and pillow. haha. (with a heating pad in the bottom of it in winter) lol. Such a woose !
Coyotes must have kept them under control before we built the house and put up fencing. The first year we lived here they weren't so bad. But this year.......whew ! That goes to show what happens when we upset the natural environment with our "improvements".
Wallll, I never tried to git rid of 'em.
When I moved into this house, they were running through the garages. They look somewhat like a small rat, or a big mouse, but they are shorter, rounder, slower, and a rougher looking fur.
We promptly got five yard/garage cats, and I've never seen another one in the garage, in ten years.
Our acreage is pretty wide open, and the hawks help quite a bit. In fact, anywhere you drive down the road and see lots of the hawks, you know you have a strong vole population.
They stay pretty much out of sight, and don't cause me any problem, though I know they are there. Sometimes a colony will get a pretty big excavation started in one spot, and that's a hazard for riding a horse, but we ignore it, anyway.
Our rat terrier of course thrills in hunting them, as does our labrador chasing them.
I've never had a problem with them in the garden, though the garden is right next to the pasture. And, I've never known of a problem regarding them with the chickens...though our chickens are only with us now a few months, and we coop them in the back while the vole habitat is more to the front. I know rats will take eggs, but I can't imagine a vole actually taking them. It would be more likely that the voles are after the corn chop or ration you are feeding.
Are you suggesting the voles might "disturb" the chickens so that they don't lay? Or are you thinking they are taking the eggs (which I have a hard time imagining would be true).
Actually, I'm not sure. If they aren't able to actually eat the eggs, maybe they are just causing the chickens stress enough to not lay. It's puzzling to me.......I really don't know what to think.
I can envision them tunneling underneath the edge of the coop. Do those holes look large enough for them to carry an egg through and away? Likely not. And if not, if they were breaking and eating the eggs, you'd see the evidence. That, combined with the fact they are enough smaller than rats that they aren't likely able to carry the eggs away...I just don't think they are eating them. If they affect the laying at all, it must be a stress thing. I would never have thought that would be a problem.
Wish I was able to help.
Perhaps you could try putting a cotton ball soaked in peppermint oil into a few of the vole holes. Peppermint oil works to keep squirrels, chipmunks and rats away. Maybe it would work on voles as well.