do hens ever just NOT lay???

chickenee · **Posted:** Sat May 07, 2011 12:28 pm

I have 3 backyard pet hens for free range eggs, our light sussex started laying at 18 weeks, the australorp at 24 weeks, but our welsummer is now 32 weeks and still no eggs (no secret nest anywhere either, believe me we've searched!)
I was wondering, do you ever get a dud hen that just doesnt lay?......We are hanging out to finally get that lovely BROWN egg!!!

Is 32 weeks very late to start laying, also she seems to be moulting i think, not sure but the other girls arent losing feathers, and she has about 10 every day under her roost. All our hens are the same age.

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

Its probably just coincidential that she should have started laying around the time she began to moult. Hens won't lay when they are moulting so you may have another month or so before she starts.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

You might consider boosting their energy levels over the colder months of the year if you want eggs (add some high energy food to their diet).If you're feeding them the same feed that you fed them over summer it might not be enough to maintain egg production over the cooler months of the year, it might only be enough to maitain body warmth.

Sulley · **Joined:** Sat May 07, 2011 12:07 am **Posts:** 1

I hope its ok to add a further question to this as I have had the same problem but would corn be of help for warmth over winter?

OakA · **Posted:** Tue May 10, 2011 9:57 am

Sorry to hear you Welsummer hen has not started to lay.
There could be a few reasons why she has not and the other 2 have, I would have expected of the 3 that the Sussex may have been the last to start as she would be expected to be a little slower maturing.
I guess you could have been unfortunate to have got a dud in the mix.
if they were sourced from different owners she may need worming.
Is she in peak condition?? A pullet will not come onto lay unless she is.
It would be worth while eliminating the possible causes.
She will not be in peak condition if wormy, is under stress from the other pullets dominating her or has had a slow/poor start and not properly reared or is not in good health.
It would be an idea to handle her and determine her condition, health and if she is coming onto lay.This you can do by examining her 'pin bones' or pelvic bones, these are located just below the vent.If they are almost touching or you can only get 1 finger between, she is not laying and a good way of, if you can get 2 fingers in the space between she is coming up to lay, if you get 3 between the pins and she is soft and pulpable in the abdomin she should be laying if not is about to.
Check the others as a comparison so you get to know the difference.
She should be open in the pins, be bright and healthy red in the comb, of good condition, not lean in the breast, if you can feel a sharp breast bone she is under weight .
As for feeding corn whole or cracked it is a good warming food , once cracked it begins to lose it's feed value so if they will eat it and usually they love it feed it whole, not in large amounts but as a scratch treat .
Care must be used not to throw out the balance in feed value of a ration by over feeding any single grain or food component.Also some breeds like Indians and Malays have a tendencyy to lay down fat around the heart if fed to much corn.I use it to fatten ckls for the table and as a suppliment in the first few days of winter cold, to build up thier weight/condition and from then on as an extra fed in small quantities.

oldboiler · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:57 pm **Posts:** 1

Have you tried a change of diet like rolled oats mixed with their lay pellets? you can even add some lay mash scratch mix to give more diversity. This helps in overall health I have found

Lis
oldboiler

beaktime · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:51 am **Posts:** 48

I had the same problem so I fed them high protein food and kept a light on for part of the night and she began to lay.

kwinagi · **Joined:** Sat Dec 15, 2007 8:58 pm **Posts:** 236

i once had a beautiful little bantam hen that was sooooooo pretty, and that seemed to be her whole function in life............she never laid an egg. so yes, it can happen that some birds don't lay, but hopefully this is not hte case with your welsummer.

chickenee · **Posted:** Thu Aug 18, 2011 4:56 pm

thanks for everyones advice... I am pleased to say that FINALLY this week we have gotten 2 eggs out of our darling welsummer

about time too she must be very close to 12 months old!!!! Although they are not yet as dark as i was expecting (though she doesnt have yellow legs either) so she isnt your typical welsummer anyway but hey we are just happy she is laying WHOO HOO!!!

kwinagi · **Joined:** Sat Dec 15, 2007 8:58 pm **Posts:** 236

oh that is wonderful news!!

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