23 weeks and counting... no eggs yet!!

[mrskenmore]

Hi All,

I have 6 new additions to the coop that I raised from day olds of various heavy cold hearty breeds... we are at 23 weeks and counting and no eggs yet- from any of the 6! What gives.. I have never had to wait this long and I have been keeping chickens for 8 years

Am I just being an impatient mom??!!

Thoughts?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Hi All,

I have 6 new additions to the coop that I raised from day olds of various heavy cold hearty breeds... we are at 23 weeks and counting and no eggs yet- from any of the 6! What gives.. I have never had to wait this long and I have been keeping chickens for 8 years

Am I just being an impatient mom??!!

Thoughts?

What breeds did you get? It's probably a combination of the breeds and the shortening days.

 

[SueT]

If they haven’t started laying by the time the days get too short (now) it is likely they’ll wait till spring.

 

[Tonyroo]

Pullet can lay through winter, just depends on breed and individuals.

 

[teach1rusl]

Agree with Auntie…timing (shortening days) and breeds make a difference. I’ve had birds not lay til almost 26 weeks in the fall. Are any of them squatting for you (or the rooster if you have one) yet?

 

[KerriChick]

Good luck! GOod to know I'm not the only one scratching my head about this this year. I only have 1 layer(my EE) out of 5 pullets and mine are now 23 weeks. My Buckeye, Sussex and Wyandotte should prob all be laying-the Brahma taking longer is not unusual. I did see the Sussex going in and out of the nest box today, so my superstitious self thought I should post so maybe they'll find out and get on with it. We had a crazy heat wave in September for a week here in CA and I"m wondering if that messed them up a bit getting on with it, and now it's October. They were born later than my last set, too...

My neighbors know I have new chickens and have been leaving egg cartons on the stoop as a hint...right now I"m only getting 2 eggs a day for a family of 6!(we have 8))

(I have been using the two finger method, and everyone but the Buckeye is feeling almost ready to lay...they all have been switched to Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve and are getting a little extra protein(mealworms) in their morning bucket of scraps for the older ones who are molting)

 

[mrskenmore]

They are a mixed bunch I have

1 blue laced red wyandotte
1 barred plymouth rock
1 lavender orpington
1 bielfelder
2 speckled sussex

my older hens are on strike too- everyone molted early.. let's go girls!!

 

[mrskenmore]

Agree with Auntie…timing (shortening days) and breeds make a difference. I’ve had birds not lay til almost 26 weeks in the fall. Are any of them squatting for you (or the rooster if you have one) yet?

my speckled sussex squats.. my bielfelder looks like she is two years old lol- where are my eggs Steffi Graf??!!

 

[Iluveggers]

If they haven’t started laying by the time the days get too short (now) it is likely they’ll wait till spring.

Not 100% on that. We got birds in July last year, and about half of them started laying in December, but a few waited til spring. The Sapphire Gems and ISA browns were first to lay at about 22 weeks. One Easter Egger was last and it was around April…and the most beautiful blue Robin egg colored egg…

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I have a few thats hasnt started either but my silkie pullets did I didnt think those would start so soon lol