25 week olds not laying

[heather134]

Our chicks are 25 weeks at minimum. Three are Welsumer and one is golden laced Wyandotte. They haven't laid at all and I'm beginning to get a bit nervous about it. Is there something I should be doing to coax them, or something I can do to check their health? They've explored the nesting boxes and they've seen a hen lay (the only one producing eggs is quite noisy about it).
They appear healthy, eat and drink well, they're not being bullied aside from an occasional peck, they stick together and have a safe roosting spot, their poop is quite normal. I'm also concerned because: #1 the other older hens (minimum age about 5) haven't laid since the younger ones were introduced, save one. One died about the same time but the others have looked and acted quite healthy. Then #2, the plan is to get rid of 3-4 of these older girls and get some new chicks in a few weeks but I don't want to unless we've worked out why the young ones aren't laying. Any ideas?!

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

Our chicks are 25 weeks at minimum. Three are Welsumer and one is golden laced Wyandotte. They haven't laid at all and I'm beginning to get a bit nervous about it. Is there something I should be doing to coax them, or something I can do to check their health? They've explored the nesting boxes and they've seen a hen lay (the only one producing eggs is quite noisy about it).
They appear healthy, eat and drink well, they're not being bullied aside from an occasional peck, they stick together and have a safe roosting spot, their poop is quite normal. I'm also concerned because: #1 the other older hens (minimum age about 5) haven't laid since the younger ones were introduced, save one. One died about the same time but the others have looked and acted quite healthy. Then #2, the plan is to get rid of 3-4 of these older girls and get some new chicks in a few weeks but I don't want to unless we've worked out why the young ones aren't laying. Any ideas?!

Is it possible they are roosters? Can you post pics

 

[springvalley123]

the plan is to get rid of 3-4 of these older girls and get some new chicks in a few weeks but I don't want to unless we've worked out why the young ones aren't laying. Any ideas?!

Babies hatched when your babies were, I'd think should be laying by now or pretty soon. But bear in mind that time of year that the babies hatch, helps determine when/at what age they actually lay (assuming not using artificial lighting). Babies hatched now or a few weeks from now, will most certainly not lay until at least January when the days start to get longer. I've had leghorns hatched mid July and start to lay New years eve or during January, Andalusians hatched mid august and start in mid Feb-March, sex links hatched in mid November start to lay as soon as they turned 18 weeks.

 

[heather134]

We bought females, which I realize is no guarantee but they seem to be female (Welsumers are obviously not male)
Didn't think of weather being a factor for new hens - it's been rainy, hot and muggy bit there's a fan in the coop.

 

[heather134]

Could it be a vaccination thing? The hatchery said they were vaccinated against Marek Disease, should I have administered something else? We usually clean the coop weekly but I'll admit it's been 2 weeks because of the constant rain. I've cleaned nesting boxes and roosting spots in the meantime and tomorrow when it's sunny will scrub the whole thing top to bottom.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They'll lay when they're ready to lay, has nothing to do with vaccinations or how clean their housing is. They do look pretty close though.

 

[heather134]

Thanks for the message. Since I've had to buy eggs a few times recently (while feeding 10 hens ) I'm rather anxious to glean some benefit from them.

 

[heather134]

Update: HURRAH! We have an egg! Cleaned the coop this morning and noticed our regular layer heading to the nest while it was airing, and the Wyandotte followed her. They sat in nests next to each other with the Wyandotte checking out the other one from time to time. About an hour later she left the nest and we had a tiny little egg!
Still nothing from the Welsumers but the other one is the main leader of their sub-flock, so I suspect they'll figure it out from her.