24 week RIRs, no eggs

[ShellyBlanco]

I have 10 RIRs. Born around 3/10. First eggs started coming on 8/2, a little over 20 weeks (2 eggs for about a week), then all of the sudden 5 and since then we are up to 9 eggs a day. Not sure who is holding out on us yet, but I'd say it's the one who don't come for lovin'. I noticed definitely that the combs really changed to deep red on the girls we know are laying and they definitely started squatting every time you went near them. But one of the girls' combs is still lighter and she is laying. like @Harley Chick says, they will eventually earn their keep. Be patient. We started giving layer pellets after they produced....but they really don't like them. They love layer crumble though. We feed everything organic as side note. They get either tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, zucchini and yellow squash everyday in the afternoon. In the heatwave we are having now, water, water, water...cold and fresh. They dig in my compost bin. They raid the garden or what's left of it. They free range 1 hour after regular feed (7:30 a.m.) until they put themselves to bed by 8:15. All eggs laid by 11:00 nearly everyday.
I have 2 Brown Leghorns 24 1/2 weeks today, not laying yet, but the leader's (Butthead) comb turned just brilliant red last week and the follower's (Beavus) just turned yesterday, so we should be close on them. I swear, these two birds are the most flighty, hyper birds we have. I don't know where we will find their first eggs. I've noticed that Butthead is starting to follow me around. I hope she starts squatting for love soon, I rarely get to handle either of them unless it's bedtime.

 

[wamtazlady]

it is so difficult to be patient when waiting for first eggs. Unfortunately, there is little you can do to speed up the process.

My good news is that one of my Cochins finally started laying last week. They are 28 weeks old. With days getting shorter I'll have to resign myself to not getting eggs until Jan or Feb of next year if the others don't start laying soon.