Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,

I'm sure I've asked this before but my hens still aren't laying. They are Isa's bouht as POL mid may (my first hens ) obviously in retrospect they weren't POL but they looked young hens not large chicks. They are all (three) much larger now, they've had a moult and their wattles/combs are now daerk pink, one is bright pink. Their plummage is improving loads since moult, they are bright, alert, busy, have just gone from growers to layers pellets after finishing their first sack. They also get as afternoon treats, worms from veg patch, curly kale (their fabvourite) other greens, chick weed, pasta etc. They have also started to get grit, now they're on layers, quite large but checked with staff at supplier that it's approprite. Not too much of anything, ahve checked amounts.. They have a steady routine, attention...... security. They are in a run on veg patch, the henhouse part is rather small, about a foot of perch each because smaller than expected when arrived and big one being built with much larger run, (currently 1.5 sq m per hen.)

I've dreamt of getting these hens for five years and my girls have decorated egg boxes for ou neighbours/friends. Curry talk is increasing, my hubby who's not 'into,' them says they aren't paying their way. (He's very into the rest of our animals but rightly says that they are here for eggs.)

Have I bought non layers? Does it ever happen? Not everyone can have kids, why sould all hens lay eggs? Sorry but very disheartened.

Thanks
Beth

Sorry I really don't know the answer but any consolation our 10 have gone from giving us between8-10 a day to 3 or 4. This time last year we had 3 bantams & for no apparrent reason(not moulting)they went off lay & we were lucky to get 1 every other day. I chatted to someone about it & he was saying that a lot of the local free range farms were having problems keeping up their egg orders & put it down to the unpredictable weather? I really don't know if this is the case but it makes some sense when you consider the biological reason for laying eggs is to make babies & their bodies are telling them it's too cold/wet/windy to bring a little chick into the world(they don't know their efforts are just for us to eat!) Oddly enough come September the bantams started laying well again? Hopefully yours(&ours!)will start laying soon. As for can you get nonlayers~I've not heard of it but I'm def no expert!Good Luck & hopefully an expert will be along soon!!

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Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

Hi FMN, all hens are going to lay eventually as long as they are healthy. Depending how old they were when you got them, they may still be a bit young as you have only had them a few weeks. I'm not familiar with Isas but certainly some chooks take longer than others to get going. Be patient with them.

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Why keep a dog when you can bark yourself !

Many hens stop laying around the time of the moult. Don't worry, they will start in their own time! A good indication will be when their combs turn red instead of pink.

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Dwell simply ~ love richly

Forget-me-not perhaps you could take on some ex battery hens? I got 6 about two months ago and am loving it. We had a couple of teething problems probably due to change of diet and my inexperience but they seem well settled now and I get 5 or 6 eggs every day. I didn't get them for the eggs but after watching Jamie Olivers programme on battery hens wanted to give some a good home. The eggs are a heck of a bonus though.

Hi,

Thanks ever so much for replies. Coincidentally somebody said about the weather to me today. I will study their combs for red/pinkness tonight. As for the ExBats, I'm on the waiting list, my hens were born from a local breeder for selling purposes but they were loose in a barn with no sky or grass, it felt like a rescue although they were in good condition.

I'll keep you posted and good luck with your egg laying too