What to do with hens that aren't laying

[jaybud]

So I have 2 Americauna and 1 sebrite hen that are approximently 8 months old and haven't layed any eggs. At the point now of debating to re-home them. Is it possible to have hens that never lay.

 

[Pork Pie]

Are they showing signs of beginning to lay (redness of comb / wattle / face and submissive squatting for you?) - if so, then its not beyond all possibility that they are laying somewhere other than the coop.

 

[redsoxs]

Hmmm....I would certainly think they should have been laying by now. Do you free range them? Is there any way they are laying their eggs elsewhere?

 

[jaybud]

Yes I free range my birds and I would think they know where to lay considering others in the flock go to the nesting box. I know some birds are sneaky in making nest but I look up and down the yard for eggs.

 

[donrae]

Try confining them for a few days and see what you get. The Easter eggers may be laying brown eggs, so you think they're someone else's. Or, they may be laying out and about where you're not finding them.

 

[jaybud]

That's what I'm hoping, guess I'll just have to separate them or watch them more closely during the day then the others. Thnx

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, even if you just put them in a cage for 24 hours to make sure they are not laying. If you free range, it is surprising how they can hide a nest. However, most of my hens will then quit laying in the nest in preference to this new spot, so I get a dramatic "loss" in eggs. If most of yours are laying in the nest, perhaps they are not laying.

A non laying hen, has less space between her pin bones, and vulva is dry and shrunk. And you are right, some hens do not lay. However, I would be very surprised to have three young hens in my set up that did not lay. Chickens have been bred to lay. If their combs are bright red, they squat, they should be laying.

Good luck,

Mrs K

 

[jaybud]

Thnx again

 

[MissSister]

Eight months really is not that late.

 

[jaybud]

I'll keep a watchful eye then