21 weeks, still no eggs, and MOLTING?!!

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

AAAGH! My hens are 21 weeks already and still no eggs. In the past, we have always had eggs no later than 18 weeks. So here we are, a full 3 weeks behind, and I think that my girls have started to molt! Is this even possible?!! Feathers everywhere in the coop. I'm in southwest Florida, so it's plenty warm, but we have been having an unusually wet rainy season. I could cry. Is there anything I can do???

 

[micstrachan]

Yep. Probably molting. Sorry!

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, and molting is more about light than heat. If anything, heat inhibits laying, as it takes so much water.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The final baby molt can occur as late as 5 months.

Breeding and feeding, as well as time of year can dictate how fast pullets mature.

Comparing one group to another is a fruitless endeavor.

Are they still on a grower? What breeds?

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Im in VA and ALL my birds chickens ducks and guinea started morning early this year maybe they know something we don't but I'll never know

 

[Folly's place]

Try to keep smiling, and just wait it out. Heat is tough on birds, which isn't helping at all. And, different breeds, and bloodlines, will have pullets who start laying eggs at different times.
Do they have big red combs? Could they be nesting somewhere hidden?
Mary

 

[EggSighted4Life]

21 weeks is not that late... depending on breed and when they hatched. 18-24 is pretty normal for most of mine. Just like young girls start menstruating at different ages, the same is true for birds maturing at different rates... even from the same parent stock. It's also effected by what you fed during their maturation. And ultimately by daylight hours.

Molting at 21 weeks would be NOT normal... lets see some pics?

Getting close to lay... the gals usually get more vocal, they might squat if you quickly put your hand over them. And of course their combs become much redder. You might notice pacing in and out of boxes or an egg song pop off when they get startled.

Do you have other layers showing them where to go or fake eggs in your nests? To me... birds maturing this late in the season often take longer than birds that hatched in February. As long as you are sure they aren't being hidden or eaten... you are still WELL within normal time frames to begin laying. I KNOW the wait is so hard!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Im in VA and ALL my birds chickens ducks and guinea started morning early this year maybe they know something we don't but I'll never know

Last two seasons I saw the beginnings of the molt at the end of July. Most years I see it in August through December.

 

[SueT]

My 6 pullets last year all molted---I'd never seen this in previous years' pullets. I posted on BYC and a LOT of others said their pullets were molting too! Tho mine began laying prior, they stopped for 3 months. Since all the older hens molted too, I got zero eggs for much of the winter. I think we started getting eggs again in March.

 

[SqueakyRoseShalom]

The final baby molt can occur as late as 5 months.

Breeding and feeding, as well as time of year can dictate how fast pullets mature.

Comparing one group to another is a fruitless endeavor.

Are they still on a grower? What breeds?

I switched to layer pellet at 18 weeks. 4 BR, 4 EE, and 4 Welsummer.