Freeloaders: what might the problem be?

[Mhcanupp]

Six ladies will be 23 weeks tomorrow (I've had them since they were 2 days old)
2 RIR
2 BO
2 EE

Now, the BO's and the EE's get a pass, for now. But what's up with these RIR's? Shouldn't we have *something* by now?

They have a coop and enclosed run. We do let them out to roam the yard if we're watching them, but they are mostly confined to their run.

We're in NC, Temps have been hovering around mid 90s all summer.

 

[nuthatched]

RIR should be laying by the looks of that comb, have you checked for hidden nests in the straw? What do they eat?

 

[Mhcanupp]

Layer pellets and scraps a few times a week.

They don't bury them, do they? Or do they?!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

It was six weeks for my first Golden egg to arrive. I say Golden because of the investment in EVERYTHING up until that point. I know the heat plays a huge part so does a lot of treats (cut back if you give them treats.) It will be like Christmas, your Birthday and Fourth of July all in one moment when you see it in the nest! Good Luck and be sure to tag me in the photo of your first egg!

 

[nuthatched]

Layer pellets and scraps a few times a week.

They don't bury them, do they? Or do they?!

Not intentionally but you know how they scratch around.

 

[Acre4Me]

Do you have nest boxes? If so, do you ever see them in the nests? Do you have fake eggs/golf balls in the nests? Is the coop interior dark? What kind of lighting do they get? Any windows in the coop?

 

[Mhcanupp]

Do you have nest boxes? If so, do you ever see them in the nests? Do you have fake eggs/golf balls in the nests? Is the coop interior dark? What kind of lighting do they get? Any windows in the coop?

1. Yes
2. Yes, often
3. No, but I have some that I could put in?
4. Mmmmm sort of?
5. Just natural light. Should I be adding more? 6. Yes

 

[Acre4Me]

1. Yes
2. Yes, often
3. No, but I have some that I could put in?
4. Mmmmm sort of?
5. Just natural light. Should I be adding more? 6. Yes

Good! Light impacts egg laying. Since they are 23 weeks, they were a late March hatch? I would expect them to lay this year. Sometimes a later spring/early summer hatch will wait until the following year to lay. But, this is because length of daylight impacts laying. When their pineal gland (on top of their head) senses decreasing light, it tells them fall is coming and can trigger a decrease in laying, or a molt. Since they are pullets, they are more likely to lay through the winter.

The one looks pretty red in her comb and wattles, so look to her for your likely first egg.

If the coop is dark, I was wondering if they weren't going in due to the darkness. However, if there are windows and natural light, that should be fine.

Golf balls/fake eggs just indicate to a chicken that it is a good safe place to lay. If there are any hidden nests that they are laying in, you could search for them or just keep them inside the coop longer in the morning, forcing them to check out/hang out in the proximity of the nest boxes longer.

This morning, I inadvertently broke 3 of 5 eggs. One EE LOVES to lay on top of the extra bag of straw we leave on top of the nest boxes (so the bag is outside the coop). Well, we have a new 40lb bag, so it is quite tall, and it didn't seem that she could get up there as it was brushing up against the top of the coop roof overhang. Sure enough, 5 eggs fell off when I went to move the bag of straw. Silly birds.

 

[Joaquin The Phoenix chick]

Have you gone on an Easter egg hunt? It's like Easter everyday at my house and I am always finding new places my chickens decide to lay. It could be they just need a couple more weeks. Only a handful of my 25 chicks, hatched 3/7, have started laying. Lots of factors go into hens laying or not. Light, heat, cold, molting, age, stress, etc..

 

[Mhcanupp]

Y'all, it JUST happened!
@Idaho Chicken Bungalow