Ameraucana Egg Laying “Schedule”?

[akostka1988]

Ok so my chickens are a couple weeks overdue according to the usual 6 months egg laying age. There’s only one girl with a less predominant waddle but all their waddles are bright red. I have provided them oyster shell grit, regular grit, and egg laying feed. They aren’t hanging in a specific area of my yard so I don’t believe they have laid them somewhere else. When you touch them they squat. I do love in Maine so the temps have begun to drop especially at night (low 60s/high 50s). Am I missing something or are my girls just being lazy freeloaders? Lol

 

[akostka1988]

I’ve attached pics so you can see how mature they look!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ok so my chickens are a couple weeks overdue according to the usual 6 months egg laying age.

There isn't a single Ameraucana in that group.. look like black Australorp and Buff Orpington.

Lay hormone is light related.. chickens hatched early in the year as light is increasing and high in the sky will lay younger than those maturing in the fall. No matter what the guidelines say... chickens lay when they're good and ready.. my Leghorn that was said to start around 16 weeks was easily 22 weeks before starting. I have had some ladies all same breed and same hatch date.. some start laying over a month sooner than others. Or worse some starts laying more than a month later.

24 weeks with daylight reducing daily.. just watch for hidden nest.. and when one lady goes randomly missing she will be gone laying her egg.

Yes, you shoulod be getting close. Some of mine started squatting over a month before laying and some have never ever squatted.

I personally would NOT be using layer feed.. but prefer flock raiser for dual purpose birds like yours and oyster shell on the side for active layers.

Waiting is SO hard especially when you know you are this close!

 

[akostka1988]

There isn't a single Ameraucana in that group.. look like black Australorp and Buff Orpington.

Lay hormone is light related.. chickens hatched early in the year as light is increasing and high in the sky will lay younger than those maturing in the fall. No matter what the guidelines say... chickens lay when they're good and ready.. my Leghorn that was said to start around 16 weeks was easily 22 weeks before starting. I have had some ladies all same breed and same hatch date.. some start laying over a month sooner than others. Or worse some starts laying more than a month later.

24 weeks with daylight reducing daily.. just watch for hidden nest.. and when one lady goes randomly missing she will be gone laying her egg.

Yes, you shoulod be getting close. Some of mine started squatting over a month before laying and some have never ever squatted.

I personally would NOT be using layer feed.. but prefer flock raiser for dual purpose birds like yours and oyster shell on the side for active layers.

Waiting is SO hard especially when you know you are this close!

I was told they were Ameraucana when I first posted them in their teenage stage! They’re from Tractor Supply so they were just labeled “pullets” and no one at the store knew their breed I was feeding them mixed flock cuz of the guineas but the store recommended the layer feed but I’ll switch back. It really is hard especially when I want to bake but I really don’t want to go to the store to buy a whole dozen when I know I’m so freaking close to getting at least the 2 freaking eggs I need to bake with lol. I do have my Big Bertha who I thought would be laying sooner rather than later compared to the others though. Her pic is attached and as you can see she makes the others look small lol

 

[akostka1988]

There isn't a single Ameraucana in that group.. look like black Australorp and Buff Orpington.

Lay hormone is light related.. chickens hatched early in the year as light is increasing and high in the sky will lay younger than those maturing in the fall. No matter what the guidelines say... chickens lay when they're good and ready.. my Leghorn that was said to start around 16 weeks was easily 22 weeks before starting. I have had some ladies all same breed and same hatch date.. some start laying over a month sooner than others. Or worse some starts laying more than a month later.

24 weeks with daylight reducing daily.. just watch for hidden nest.. and when one lady goes randomly missing she will be gone laying her egg.

Yes, you shoulod be getting close. Some of mine started squatting over a month before laying and some have never ever squatted.

I personally would NOT be using layer feed.. but prefer flock raiser for dual purpose birds like yours and oyster shell on the side for active layers.

Waiting is SO hard especially when you know you are this close!

I don’t suppose you know what breed he is do you? I got lucky and only ended up with 1 roo in this batch of chicks although I think I have another in my 2nd batch

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Yup, not an Ameraucana in sight.
They'll lay when ready, and not a day sooner.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I don’t suppose you know what breed he is do you? I got lucky and only ended up with 1 roo in this batch of chicks although I think I have another in my 2nd batch

Buff Orpington cockerel.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don’t suppose you know what breed he is do you? I got lucky and only ended up with 1 roo in this batch of chicks although I think I have another in my 2nd batch

He is a buff Orpington cockerel.

Cockerel and pullet being the technical term until they reach a year old and earn their Rooster/cock or hen badges.. mostly relevant when discussing food, behavior, health. We still use roo/hen in general conversation though.

The bin they came from at TSC that was just labeled pullets.. was likely that they ordered "hatchery choice" pullets.. saves the store a little by accepting whatever they have extra hatched that day and not pre-sold under their specific breed in addition to giving buyers a fun option for surprise breeds.

Bigger gals often lay later.. that gal MAY be a black Jersey Giant instead of Australorp. I'm not an expert, but have loads of fun trying to hone my skill.

 

[NewBoots]

There isn't a single Ameraucana in that group.. look like black Australorp and Buff Orpington.

Agreed as above. And I wouldn't let them free range before noon to be sure they are laying in the nest boxes. Are they singing the egg song?

 

[akostka1988]

Agreed as above. And I wouldn't let them free range before noon to be sure they are laying in the nest boxes. Are they singing the egg song?

They’re all talkers I’m not sure what their song would sound like although the blond girl has earned the name Kung Fu because she basically goes “waaaaaaaaa” whenever you interact with her lol