21 week old hens not laying

[MatthewsHomestead]

Some birds just take longer to mature and start laying. Between that and daylight hours, you just have to be patient, they will lay when they are ready.

I completely agree. Patience is key and proper nutrition. Definitely offer grit and oyster shell as a free choice. I would begin blending the grower/finisher with some hearty scratch and a good layer. You can also scramble some egg for them every couple days. Its super good for them and they will love the treat. Also, dry out all your egg shells, grind them down to a good crumble and offer that in with the oyster shell. The nutrients from the shell help replenish and produce egg shell building blocks in their system.

They need layer feed to start with, good layer feed. Oyster shells or even egg shells.
You may be waiting til spring but they won’t lay without layer feed, regardless.

I don't agree that they Have to have layer feed to lay. Proper nutrition doesnt necessarily include layer feed. Good healthy grains, grit, and calcium which is provided in the oyster shell and egg shell is plenty.

Every chicken is different. Don't rush them into it. They will lay when their body is ready. Critters are sexually active before their bodies are ready to reproduce oftentimes. They may not begin to lay until springtime.... It happens. Happy and healthy critters are productive critters. Focus on those two things and the eggs will come in time.

 

[proudmommie31]

Also: just as a observation of what works over here. I noticed when it started getting dark here (4:30 pm) that the chickens would enter the coop, and some were having issues getting all the way on the roosts in a slightly darker than outside (even with the giant window open). They would wait til the last minute (about 5) to go inside and then be agitated trying to find their spots. I forgot to unplug the light one day (before I got the timer) and when I realized it was on at 5pm I went to shut it off and all the birds were happily on their roosts and sleeping. Since then I’ve had the light come on for a additional short period of time at night (4-6) and they are without fail, all on the roosts and happily sleeping by thw time it goes off. So when you read “night at light is a bad thing” my chickens disagree

 

[aart]

So when you read “night at light is a bad thing” my chickens disagree

Have read of others doing this too...it does work fine.
They still go to roost with the sun, and soak up that light even if sleeping.
No need here as they seem to be able to function in that low late light.

 

[StonyCreekFarm]

YOU GUYS!

The last two days in my area have been pretty warm and sunny... I went down to hang out with the girls today annnnnnd found not one, but two perfect (even though they were small) eggs!!!

YAYAYAYAY!!! I did a happy dance and scared the whole flock

 

[coach723]

Yay!! Congrats!

 

[proudmommie31]

Yay!!!!

 

[Aceoky]

They need layer feed to start with, good layer feed. Oyster shells or even egg shells.
You may be waiting til spring but they won’t lay without layer feed, regardless.

Not only wrong advice but likely poor advice as well.(as several have already pointed out) Most of us here raise large breed birds (many heritage birds also) layer feed is the MIN required for small framed high producing production birds (leghorns etc.) the around 16% protein is often not enough for still growing pullets of the larger breeds & not really enough for grown hens still laying -especially before, during and after molt. .
Many here feed 20+% protein (all flock, meat bird etc.) with oyster shells on the side, this is in many of our experience a much better solution for the larger birds.

 

[aart]

Not only wrong advice but likely poor advice as well.

Wrong is also poor
....but what post did you quote?
Weird that it doesn't have the member name or the arrow to go to post quoted.

 

[Aceoky]

They need layer feed to start with, good layer feed. Oyster shells or even egg shells.
You may be waiting til spring but they won’t lay without layer feed, regardless.

The whole quote just for @aart! BTW it was post #10 "Wrong advice" can simply be there are better ways OR it can be terrible outcome if followed & anything in between (or not) LOL

So many had already quoted & responded to the post I didn't think I needed to quote the whole thing ; also since I agree they Need oyster shells , I wanted to only quote the bad advice ...

 

[aliciaFarmer]

Hang in there. One of my Australorps started laying at 4.5 months and the other was 7 months, for example. I've actually had 3 new layers in the past week and a half (no light or heat and nights in the 20s for a bit there) so it's possible they could start any day for you. ♡