23 weeks and Still NO Eggs.

[ChickNanny13]

@BarbaCoop - Where are you located? You may want to update your profile with your location, clues us into your time zone & general weather climate. I'm thinking as the rest, your climate/location has something to do with no eggs yet. It's that time of the year, shorter days/less sunlight. It also depends on the breeds, some lay sooner than others. Waiting for that first egg really tests our patience

@BigATC - Your SLW looks to be the first to lay, BR next, your EE the last. Orpingtons are bigger birds, mature slower, mine usually lay around 24wks. Squatting is a good sign of getting close, they'll also show interest in the nest box weeks before. Waiting seems like forever & that first egg is always exciting

 

[ronott1]

@BarbaCoop - Where are you located? You may want to update your profile with your location, clues us into your time zone & general weather climate. I'm thinking as the rest, your climate/location has something to do with no eggs yet. It's that time of the year, shorter days/less sunlight. It also depends on the breeds, some lay sooner than others. Waiting for that first egg really tests our patience

@BigATC - Your SLW looks to be the first to lay, BR next, your EE the last. Orpingtons are bigger birds, mature slower, mine usually lay around 24wks. Squatting is a good sign of getting close, they'll also show interest in the nest box weeks before. Waiting seems like forever & that first egg is always exciting

X2!

Still some time away but getting closer

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

23 weeks is actually on the earlier side of laying, Most start around 26-30

 

[ronott1]

23 weeks is actually on the earlier side if laying, Most start around 26-30

Averages are weird!

It depends on the breed usually. Some of the sexlinks and leghorns will start laying at 16 weeks in the US. We have some high production hens that we can get. They often burn out at two years old though

 

[aart]

I always say that the average onset of lay for most breeds is 18-28 weeks,
some will come earlier some will go longer.
But there are the other factors of climate, time of year, flock dynamics, housing density, diet, etc.

They will lay when they lay and not before

Here's some tips to tell...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[GC-Raptor]

My Golden Comets, a sex-links (hatched March 29, 2016), Started to lay exactly at 4 months. Another 2 days later. All 5 were laying at 19 weeks.
Two past on around 2 years old. One was egg bound. She was last to lay. Another was bleeding from vent. I put her down.
A third retired from laying at 2 years and is still living.
The other two were giving me 10 eggs a week between them, until sunset at 4:30. Over a week ago. I only add light in the morning at 5. So when they got only 11 1/2 hours of light, one of them stopped.
I now only have one hen laying every other day. .Fortunately I have a couple dozen eggs in the fridge.

I have seven Barred Rocks hatched August 15. They are my first late summer Chicks, also my first breed.
They have their own coop and I also open the coop and turn on the lights at 5am.
I have no experience with late summer Chicks or this Breed.
I am hoping they start to lay in the middle of January. . GC

 

[ronott1]

My Golden Comets, a sex-links (hatched March 29, 2016), Started to lay exactly at 4 months. Another 2 days later. All 5 were laying at 19 weeks.
Two past on around 2 years old. One was egg bound. She was last to lay. Another was bleeding from vent. I put her down.
A third retired from laying at 2 years and is still living.
The other two were giving me 10 eggs a week between them, until sunset at 4:30. Over a week ago. I only add light in the morning at 5. So when they got only 11 1/2 hours of light, one of them stopped.
I now only have one hen laying every other day.View attachment 1597762 .Fortunately I have a couple dozen eggs in the fridge.

I have seven Barred Rocks hatched August 15. They are my first late summer Chicks, also my first breed.
They have their own coop and I also open the coop and turn on the lights at 5am.
I have no experience with late summer Chicks or this Breed.
I am hoping they start to lay in the middle of January.View attachment 1597765. GC

That is what normally happens with chickens!

Rocks and some other winter layers will pick up after molting and still lay some eggs in the low light part of winter.

Adding light will keep them laying

 

[GC-Raptor]

That is what normally happens with chickens!

Rocks and some other winter layers will pick up after molting and still lay some eggs in the low light part of winter.

Adding light will keep them laying

Oh yeah, my Golden Comets laid right through their first two winters.
The first winter I never got less than 29 eggs a week from the five.
Second winter, 23 was the slowest week. Hours of light was the same as now, 5am and no added light in the afternoon.
I don't mind if they take a break. I just wish I got chicks last spring.
Yeah I was looking for a cold hearty Breed and had a few on my list. Barred Rocks were on my list and TSC happen to have some when I went to get feed.
Others on my list were New Hampshire Red, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorps, and Speckled Sussex.
And for color, Ameracauna, Easter Eggers and Wellsummers. I hope to get some of these colorful egg layers in the future. GC

 

[BigATC]

@BigATC - Your SLW looks to be the first to lay, BR next, your EE the last. Orpingtons are bigger birds, mature slower, mine usually lay around 24wks. Squatting is a good sign of getting close, they'll also show interest in the nest box weeks before. Waiting seems like forever & that first egg is always exciting

Thanks much! We're having a family pool to guess the day/week of the first egg. Don't worry, I will pass along this info to all just to be fair!

Btw, I planned on waiting another week (18 weeks old) to open up access to the nest boxes.

Regards!

 

[Apocalypse]

I have 10 as well and they are mixed. All spring to summer hatches and only my 1 Altsterier hen lays. I just chalk it up to time of year.