| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 7:01:12 PM
Need some help please. I am a brand new sister. We have had 20-25 chickens for the last 3 years. It seems like this winter they have just stopped laying. In years past, production would slow down but not like this.
My husband opens the hen house each morning, so they roam all over the farm during the day and then ofcourse roost at night. Could they be laying elsewhere? If so, will they ever go back to laying in their boxes?
Anyone else experience this and is there anything we can do?
Thanks in advance Sisters!
Sister #2574 |
| 24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| walkinwalkoutcattle |
Posted - Feb 18 2011 : 05:49:10 AM
My girls have officially started laying again! Yippee! We've put some wood ashes in the coop from the woodstove, and that, plus the increase in daylight, I'm getting about 9 every other day out of my 7 hens! That's up from NOTHING since late November!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
| AliciaNak |
Posted - Feb 17 2011 : 08:27:43 AM
My girls slowed down here too, then I noticed moulting on my older gals (3 years this year?).
I started mixing some dry cob (Corn Oats Barley-dry meaning no molasses) and black oil sunflower seeds in their lay mash. I mix it all in a small (25 gal?) garbage can so I can just scoop it out, all mixed up.
The sunlight started lengthening (hooray!). I went from 3 or 4 a day to 14 or 15 eggs a day!
Hope you are all seeing an increase in eggs!
Alicia
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.~Ralph Waldo Emmerson
www.blondenak.blogspot.com
www.artfire.com/users/BlondeNakCreations |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Feb 17 2011 : 03:43:24 AM
Just an update farmgirls....
We have broke through the picket line at the chicken strike! Girls are back laying again. I guess winter started earlier this year with snow in December which normally does not happen til end of January or February here. Colder temps and earlier winter must have really thrown them off this year. My husband brought in 7 eggs yesterday afternoon. YEAH! Sure was not looking forward to killing them.
Farmgirl Sister #2574
www.redgategal.blogspot.com
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau
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| walkinwalkoutcattle |
Posted - Feb 02 2011 : 08:55:26 AM
I've got 7 hens-ONE is laying right now, and they are eating like NOBODY'S business. I'm going through a 50 lb sack of layer crumbles a week practically! ONE started laying after a two month hiatus, and the others are STILL on vacation it seems-if they don't start laying come spring, we're going to have a freezer full of chicken. I can't afford to feed freeloaders!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
| happyhomesteader |
Posted - Feb 02 2011 : 07:54:24 AM
I have some of our first dvds that I will give away for free if you would like one, just email me your address and I will gladly send one your way!
www.homesteadcommunitypost.com |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Feb 02 2011 : 07:51:11 AM
Just wanted to update. The hen we got last year started laying again! Every other day I get an egg from her! Our 2 year old hens haven't started laying yet, but again I will give them until spring/early summer before they hit my freezer...
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~ |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 08:40:54 AM
Angie: Thanks for the post! It gave me some encouragement that I can't always be so soft hearted! If other ladies can butcher their retired layers, well I can too. Its just not economical for us to feed hens that have retired from laying. It gets too expensive in the winter. I will give my hens until spring, if they don't start laying again... To the freezer. Thanks again! I can do it!
Erin: Your dvd's sound really neat! I would love to get them, although things are on a really tight budget until around spring time. I will have to check them out in a few months! I love the photos on your blog, gorgeous!
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~ |
| amomfly |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 07:22:11 AM
I even took a flake of hay and put it between two banty roos yesterday! They just stood there staring at the hay then ran aorund it went at it again. My banty roos go after each other, not so much the hens. If they do get to rough with a hen their ma goes after them! She is so bossy!
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
| sherrye |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 06:56:54 AM
kris, i had to laugh at your post. they do get mean and rough for sure, crazy roos. i like those videos on homesteading. moved cows and calves yesterday. so no chicken stories today. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 06:24:02 AM
Grace, I was just thinking that if you had room and could separate them you could take a roo and about 10 hens and keep them together somewhere and do that with the rest so you'd have a reasonable ratio of hens to roos. Taht's IF you have the room to do that. I know you don't free range there but that is the ideal thing to do to keep them far enough apart. But since you don't, that's just a thought since you don't want to butcher.
Erin, I would love to be able to get your DVDs but I can't right now. Plus I cannot figure out our DVD player at all. I do have a portable one that the grands know how to use though. Anyway, sometime soon. It sounds like a very good series. I know how to do alot of the things you have mentioned but have never canned meat before and would like to learn. I just freeze it. But that's a great review.
And I just want to say that after awhile of the mean bully roos you will want to kill them! It's not that hard to do. Like right now I am ready to kill 3 of them. When I am feeding them, the roos are attacking the poor hens like crazy. Sounds like a war zone out there.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| happyhomesteader |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 05:00:11 AM
If you would like to watch a demo on butchering chickens, canning broth, or making Amish noodles. You can get our DVDs on this topic. Homesteading for Beginners DVDs. We show raised bed gardening basics, raising chickens to processing them, canning broth, milking a cow, maple syrup, homemade breads, canning produce, canning meat, and so much more.
We recently were featured on a pretty large blog called Survivalblog.com
This is their review on it...
"Echoing my preceding statement, some of the young'uns and I have started watching Homesteading for Beginners DVD series. These are three excellent educational videos produced by Mark and Erin Harrison, in Wisconsin. This is a young Christian homeschooling family with five children. Their DVD series deals with the basics of Homesteading. Nearly all of the teaching segments includes participation of their children. It is wonderful to see them all working together and sharing in the bounty of their efforts. They cover topics like milking a cow, making home dairy products, raised bed gardening, canning, butchering livestock, meat canning, making homemade noodles, baking bread, sprouting, root cellaring, making homemade vitamins, maple syrup production, and much more. Most segments are accompanied with instrumental Christian music: guitar, banjo and violin. Much of what they know they learned from their Amish neighbors. A trailer of their first DVD is available on YouTube. Their web site is: HomesteadCommunityPost.com. I will have a few more comments after I've finished watching all three of their DVDs. So far, I find them to be wonderful and very informative. Our Young'uns are enjoying watching the Harrison's children doing all of these activities."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n25yByJ49c0
www.homesteadcommunitypost.com |
| amomfly |
Posted - Jan 24 2011 : 01:45:19 AM
I do butcher my older hens, boiling them and then picking the bones clean. I then take this"broth" and meat and can it. This is what I use for chicken and noodles.
I understand not want to, some do become pets. But the life span of a laying hen is just not that long. Even the few I have kept, never make it past 5, mainly due to picky younger hens or roos. A well cared for hen may live 12-15 years. I would say you have two choices.
1. Cull them all and start new.
2. Add more fresh pullets and deal with a bigger flock.
I guess you could also do something in the middle. Cull out 5-10 and replace them. Then start a new cycle with the new hens. I try to replace my layers every other year. With a few broady hens adding to the numbers natural too. I do cull most roos as soon as possible. Unless they are just chicken nugget size! My goodness, spring must be gettin closer, my turkin roos is crowing like crazy this early am! He is one of my favorites. He is very good to my ladies. Any way, good luck. I was trying to get to this point in my earlier post but didn't want to hurt your feelings.
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jan 23 2011 : 5:05:05 PM
Yes, it is so sad! I don't know what I am going to do with my hens when they quit laying... I won't be able to butcher them since I made the mistake of making them my pets. Any ideas on what to do when the time comes? I have chickens raising specifically for the intent on meat but I try not to make them my pets. I also have a few pulleys on order to give diversity to my flock but the question remains. What do I do with old hens I can't use for meat?!
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~ |
| Catherine L |
Posted - Jan 23 2011 : 1:39:07 PM
I really hate to hear this about hens not laying after a few years. That could explain the problem I am having.
~Catherine~
Farmgirl 2428 |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Jan 23 2011 : 12:42:50 PM
Well...I know for sure atleast one is done...she's really done. As I was reading your reply to my husband he told me that he had gathered several marble size eggs in recent months.
They've been good layers. Thanks for your help!
Farmgirl Sister #2574
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| Melina |
Posted - Jan 23 2011 : 07:44:20 AM
Your girls are getting a bit old to produce regularly. Commercial operations get rid of their hens after the first cycle for this reason. There are hens who lay a couple of eggs a week at that age, but many are beginning their "henopause". It might be time to get a few pullets for replacement, then just allow the older girls to lay the odd one. Heat lamps and extra light may push them a bit to lay more, but it's a sad fact that a hen has just so many eggs in her, and when she's done, she's really done. That last egg is about the size of a marble and it's a clear message of "That's it! I'm done."
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jan 22 2011 : 8:12:13 PM
I bet it is a molt. I didn't think they did that during the winter but we have a heat lamp, regular lightbulb, and are in the coop for now so it must be a molt. About how long will it last? Thanks!
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~ |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Jan 22 2011 : 06:00:55 AM
Ladies,
Thanks for all the great advice. Have a wonderful weekend! I had to buy eggs for the first time in 3 years and I can hardly bring myself to crack open the shells. UGH...I miss my EGGS  , but sounds like from your suggestions that I'll be back in business soon 
Sister #2574 |
| happyhomesteader |
Posted - Jan 22 2011 : 04:44:47 AM
Hello Gals,
We have been raising chickens for about 10 years now and can tell you what the trouble is. Chickens need daylight to lay. They slack off in the winter because the days are shortened by so much. One thing that really works is putting a timed light on in the coop. You can get these at any farm or hardware store. You get the switch to turn on at about 1 am and turn off by 7 am when the daylight starts in. If you catch it soon enough, you will notice a pick up in production. Chickens will go through a molting during the winter months due to lack of daylight. I hope this helps yall.
www.homesteadcommunitypost.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 22 2011 : 04:33:15 AM
Danielle, I live just belpw Chatt. in Ga. and we are getting the smae nasty weather you are. This is my hens 2nd winter. Last winter they started laying and layed all winter really good. I was getting about 6 eggs a day up til Dec. Mine are also free ranging. So they have nest boxes all over. I go on egg hunts every day. But the last month or so I haven't seen a single egg til a few days ago. I was getting hay for the cow girls and on top of a stack of 3 hay bales was one of the game hens in a little nest she had made. There was an egg there! I was so excited I think I scared her and she was about to lay another one. But none since. So I am sure she has found another place. I keep checking there though.
I had thought I might go get some laying mash for them. Maybe Monday. I'll try that and ss if it will kick start them back up again.
And that sounds like a good idea to keep them in the coop for awhile just to see if they are still laying. But I think around 3 years old they do slow down some. You might need to think about getting a new batch. In a few months I am ordering some new Buff chicks. I love them. Good luck with yours.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 8:04:28 PM
Krystle,
My husband suggested they may be laying during the day on the farm and not in their boxes. We thought we might add a heat lamp and not let them out for a week to roam to see if it gets them back on track. Will let you know how that works out.
Sister #2574 |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 7:57:23 PM
Hi, I am having a similar problem. My chickens are two this year and they totally quit laying now! Very abrupt too! Could it be the weather or is the age a factor too? I was worried I have been doing something wrong since everyone I talked too never heard of chickens just quit laying. Oh I almost forgot, we have a one year old hen too and she quit laying about a day later than my two year old hens. Hope we can figure this out, Thanks!
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~ |
| RedGateGal |
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 7:12:29 PM
Yes, these are the same hens for the past 3 years. TN has experienced a little harsher winter this year, so we were wondering if the weather has thrown them off and if we could do anything within the hen house to "heat" things up again.
Thanks for the reply. |
| amomfly |
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 7:08:26 PM
So these are the same hens for the last three years?
I thnk with our winter weather,and their age it has thrown them off. Hens really get slower as they age.
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
