Author Topic: Laying....then not laying at all!  (Read 3180 times)

Carrie Hill

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Laying....then not laying at all!
« on: November 02, 2014, 11:40:19 PM »
Hello! I have LF Black and silver bantams I just got last spring.  Both started laying at about 5-6 mo...they are all about 9 mo now..bantams are still laying (I have 4 pullets and typically get 2 eggs/day) but my LF have stopped entirely.....I have 6 pullets that I was getting 2-3 eggs/day.  I checked them all a few weeks ago and have 2 that haven't started laying yet at all.  My LF free range every other day (I have to rotate with my RIR so the boys don't beat up on each other).  I did plug in the 'winter light' a few weeks ago since days are getting shorter.  I did change the LF environment by dividing the coop in half for my new trio of RIR and giving them different (metal) nesting boxes..and this is when the egg strike started.  Could the change in environment (addition of RIR on divided off half of coop and chg of nesting boxes) contribute to their complete stop of laying? 

greeneggsandham

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Re: Laying....then not laying at all!
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2014, 07:27:59 AM »
Yes, it can.  You will have to give them time to adjust.  It may help to place an egg or two in the new nest boxes.
 
One other thought regarding the lighting, although you may know this already.  Make sure your winter lighting is from the "warm" end of the light spectrum.  These new bulbs that are out there come in "cool" or daylight, and "warm".  I bought one labeled daylight once thinking it was, well, daylight.  I couldn't figure out why the hens hadn't started laying.  I suspected the lighting and sure enough, when I checked the packaging those bulbs were "cool".   From what I have read, chickens don't respond to light from the "cool" end of the light spectrum.
Sharon
Hubby rues the day he brought the chicks home...

Carrie Hill

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Re: Laying....then not laying at all!
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2014, 01:12:31 PM »
Thank you, I figured but hadn't had it happen before with other breeds.  Never once thought about the warm or cool bulbs, Thank You! 

John

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Re: Laying....then not laying at all!
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2014, 03:36:09 PM »