ISA brown hens not laying

[Briannafaith]

I am in Georgia and let my girls take a break for the winter and didn’t supplement any light for eggs. It’s now May and they still haven’t laid any eggs. I got them in December 2022 and they started laying spring of 2023. Is it possible they’re done laying? They aren’t free range (too many predators) and have the same good nesting box. They eat and drink well too. I guess I’m just confused on why they haven’t started back yet.

Thank you!

 

[Briannafaith]

Forgot to mention I do have 4 new girls I got last year who also haven’t started laying.

 

[nuthatched]

What's their diet?
Anything that could be stealing the eggs or upsetting them?

 

[Briannafaith]

What's their diet?
Anything that could be stealing the eggs or upsetting them?

Layer feed with added protein and they get scraps from us. I also get up a good bit of weeds/grass for them daily. The coop is pretty secured so I don’t think anything is stealing them! Every morning when they laid, I knew when they did because they’d make this distinct call and I haven’t heard that this year.

 

[nuthatched]

Layer feed with added protein and they get scraps from us. I also get up a good bit of weeds/grass for them daily. The coop is pretty secured so I don’t think anything is stealing them! Every morning when they laid, I knew when they did because they’d make this distinct call and I haven’t heard that this year.

Huh, odd.
What's the added protein?

 

[Briannafaith]

Huh, odd.
What's the added protein?

It’s a bag of extra protein I buy that I’ve always added to their pellets. I’m wondering if maybe the pellet brand change is the problem.

 

[nuthatched]

It’s a bag of extra protein I buy that I’ve always added to their pellets. I’m wondering if maybe the pellet brand change is the problem.

I've never heard of anything like that, what is it? Is it extra protein lay pellets? Can you please get a picture or link?

 

[Briannafaith]

I've never heard of anything like that, what is it? Is it extra protein lay pellets? Can you please get a picture or link?

Sure! It’s black fly larvae and it comes in a box. https://a.co/d/acobCU3

I just add it to their pellets and mix it all together. I notice a huge difference in egg quality with it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If they're not laying you might consider switching them over to a feed that does not have the added calcium in it that layer feed has. A good 20% all-flock is often recommended, and my own birds do very well on it, even during molt. If you keep a separate vessel with oyster shell available 24/7, laying hens will help themselves and non-laying birds will leave it alone. Added calcium can be harmful over time to non-layers.

 

[nuthatched]

Sure! It’s black fly larvae and it comes in a box. https://a.co/d/acobCU3

I just add it to their pellets and mix it all together. I notice a huge difference in egg quality with it.

There's the likely problem. Are you feeding standard 16% layer pellets?
Dried bugs, scratch etc are treats, they're supposed to be less than 10% of their diet, a pinch per bird, once or twice a week.
They're very likely just picking out the bugs and leaving food for last.
Bugs have nice protein but high fat and low nutrition, like fried mozzarella sticks, for example.
So they're likely nutritionally deficit, production breeds such as your birds are need a good, balanced diet for their health and laying.
I'd recommend you invest and a good layer feed, that's at least 18% protein, (if you're feeding 16%) reduce the treats and a good way the make eggs better is an occasional leafy vegetable.