20+ weeks and NO eggs ? I NOW HAVE EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
I am really, REALLY hoping no one believed me enough to try it!!! LOL

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

id take it from you! lol. dont kill her :-(

 

[rebecca10782]

Quote:
I am really, REALLY hoping no one believed me enough to try it!!! LOL

Ya never know, there are some cooks out there. I can't stop laughing at the picture of someone actually doing that

Can you imagine the noises that would come out of the poor chicken?! Ours sound like you are killing them when you pick them up and they want to be running around

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Our Banties started around 22 weeks, our Rocks at 21... BUT: That was before it got cold/darker outside. Not enough daylight and cold temps can delay egg laying till spring....
unless you want to add light to the coop on a timer (we use 2 100w output compact florescent bulbs that use 30w each) you may not see eggs till spring-- or it might just be delayed!

 

[digitS']

Tim in Pa. :

. . . They are RR,W rocks, black austrlorpes and buff orp.
So can we expect an egg or two before the spring???? I hope! Is there anything I can do to help things along?

Thanks,Tim

Tim, of your group, I have the Black Australorps and Plymouth Rocks but they are Barred Rocks. I was surprised that the BR started at 21 weeks but the BA - not before 23 to 26 weeks.

When sunlight fell below 11 hours each day, I turned a light on in the coop so that they would have 14 hours of light. The time was slowly increased until all four pullets were laying and they continue with 15 hours of light each day.

A continuing loss in hours of light would suppress their sexual development. At least, that is what every poultry scientist I've read has to say about the subject. (If I hadn’t turned on a light, they’d be sitting on the roost right now for over 15 hours out of every 24.)

Keep their dietary protein intake at high levels. Eating lots of low-protein "snacks" won't help.

Your pullets need to grow body tissue. The reproductive system is much, much larger in a mature bird. All that growing requires protein.

Best of luck.

Steve​

 

[jamietidwell]

I have cochin bantam pullets who are 6 months old and not one egg yet!!! This is my first small flock ever and have been reading everything about egg laying but still haven't got a clue what my girls are thinking. The weather has been warm one day then cold the next but the front just came in this weekend and cold is here to stay now. I have a lamp and everything for them. I have finally caught them in the ACT in the last 2 weeks but no egg yet. I figured mating might bring some but not yet. So I understand your wondering. I'm giving up until spring. My Call ducks are the same age and the haven't layed yet either but I can't find much info on them so what they do is up to them I reckon. Good luck!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Cochins are late maturing, usually. Might be 9 months old before you see an egg from them. Hopefully not!

 

[Wynette]

I had a couple of EEs that didn't start laying until they were 32 weeks old. Right now, I've got two Jersey Giant x NHR pullets that are 32 weeks and not showing ANY sign of laying; the third that hatched has been laying for 6 weeks. You just never know with chickens.

I choose to not supplement with light, because I believe in allowing nature to take its course. There's a reason they are not laying yet...they're not quite ready. Hang in there, the eggs will come!

Oh, I should also add that the pullets I've raised that didn't begin laying until 8-9 months have been the ones that lay the largest (Jumbos mostly) eggs of the flock, too. So, maybe the waiting is worth it?

 

[Tim in Pa.]

Quote:
Thanks all for the encouragement I guess I'm not alone with this! And yes some of them are getting bigger and redder combs the two white rocks are very red and big same for one RR and two of the BA but not as big and as red as the rocks,I thought my buffy would be the biggest first but those two white rocks are HUGE birds,bigger than all the rest and all the same age so go figure? BTW are the waddles( the red things hanging from their cheeks) suppose to be really red and large like the combs? if so the rocks are in the lead with that too! Again thanks,I'll just sit here and wait patiently

Tim

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Four of my eleven 30 week old standards are laying. A couple of the others look ready and have been exploring the nest boxes. The other slackers aren't even remotely interested.
Three of my four 30 week old banties are laying, but then one of the silly silkies went broody.

Nobody is laying everyday. I get anywhere from a single egg to 7 eggs a day. You just never know what you'll find in my coop!

I don't have a light out there. I figure they'll lay when they're ready.