4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[catsu]

Hi, I am new to keeping chickens but am addicted already!! I have four hybrids, one Partridge WD broody bantam with one beutiful chick.

 

Out of my four hybrid only three are laying. The 4th has possibly never laid, its really hard to tell as I got them all a POL so to start with had all manner of strange eggs which I understand is normal as they get going. I had some leathery broken eggs, shell-less rubber eggs and some mis-shapen bobbly eggs. Personally I put these all down to Buck. But like I say its hard to tell. Buck is a maran hybrid, but has white ear lobes? Probably best to mention that I had two perfect white shelled eggs once a few weeks back and thought these must have been hers, but have had nothing since.

 

My other girls are Tikka who lays blue eggs, Nugget who lays 'supermarket brown' eggs & Birdie who lays a supermarket egg with brown splodges at one end.

 

There are ample amounts of oyster shell around the pen, I have added shell improver to the feed, and even placed oyster shell in the feed. Nothing has helped. So I am thinking its her, rather than the diet as the other three are laying fine.

 

Any ideas? Is it the done thing contact the supplier and ask that they swap the chook? Sadly I only have room for the girls I have and can't afford to keep one in bed and board if they are not paying me their 'egg rent'! I did mention to the supplier the trouble I am having and they said to give it another season, but I think that this is a whole season that I will lose egg production, and there is nothing to say she will start next year either.

 

What does everyone think? Thanks in advance.

[angeluk69]

Hi there,

 

I am somewhat new to hybrid keeping also, I started with 4 girls, 1 started laying after only 5 days and stopped after 4 eggs 2 weeks later I decided to get 2 new girls and they all have mingled well. 1 of my girls has laid roughly everyday since she started laying. another started laying soon after and has laid approx 20 eggs, I has just started laying and has laid 5 eggs of varying colours.

 

Sadly the girl that first laid for me passed away last week after becoming ill, its been very sad, and my girls went off lay for 2 days, they just weren't interested.

 

So I have 3 out of 5 laying atm, after 6 weeks of chook-keeping.

 

How long have you had your girls for? I've been advised before on this forum that just because a chicken is sold as 'POL' it doesnt mean she lay within a set amount of time. it could take 2 hours, 2 weeks, 2 months or longer, the most important thing is a happy chicken rather than the eggs...I was getting myself in a tiz because they werent laying soon after i got them, but have seriously realised I would rather have the happiest hens in the world than a production line, afterall isn't that why any of us keep animals in the first place.

 

Hope everything settles soon

[dance in the dark]

It sounds to me like it just might be one of those things. Although hybrids are typically brilliant layers, they can still be very temperamental. I got a white star a month or so ago who had laid two eggs over about the first three weeks, quite far apart, and has just laid the last three days.

 

One of the other things about coming in to lay is that is can be very stop start. I wouldn't worry too much about forcing the oyster shell and shell improver on her. There is a good chance she is just having a stuttering start, and will get going properly once she's ready. It could also be the weather throwing her off, or the new environment, as I had surprisingly inconsistent laying with all the rain and such.

 

As long as she looks in good health (eating, drinking, not standing around hunched over and fluffed up) I wouldn't worry about it being health problem. Some birds, even hybrids won't come into lay really until they are 6,8 months, even a year old, and others only lay a handful of eggs in their life.

[catsu]

Ive had all the girls since about April. Three out of the four are laying consistently, just the one that is not. They are all happy expect for Tikka who is my blue egger, she's loosing all her feathers underneath. I have previously powdered her and looked for mites etc, I'm starting to think that maybe its her mault instead? She's happy enough.

I do love the girls but I just can't afford to keep one that's not producing as I did get them as food producers for the family. I just feel a little miffed that she's not laying. I fear that she never will as all the other girls are very settled in ther routines now. Still could be worse they could all not be laying I guess

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It may be one of those things, unless she's just not got into the swing of laying yet. I have 4 girls, one lays every day without fail, one lays an egg every 7-10 days and from the other two, I get one egg daily - I can't work out which one isn't laying as they all go in the nestbox .

 

I once had a girl who laid 10 eggs then stopped for a couple of months then ended up being my best layer - that may happen to you too!

[jrsankanu]

from my original 3, 2 laid well before the other who i must say laid longer then the other 2 into winter if that makes sense . if unsure visit the vet check nothing is wrong or she isn't egg bound. if she is it will need sorting asap