28 weeks no eggs?

[ladyrua]

Hello all - I don't know if the timing was off and they've gone into molt, or if it's just taking a looooooong time for them to start laying. I'm frustrated though, and was wondering if I'm doing something wrong?

I have five Golden Penciled Hamburgs. They were born May 4th, so they're 28 weeks old. They've grown at a steady rate, I moved them outside when they were 10 weeks old. They are on 18% layer feed, oyster shells, and occassional treats. They seemed to go through a mild molt where I gathered up a handful of feathers or so. They have a light that goes on at 4:30 am and it's light till about 6 here. So 13ish hours of light. They have nestboxes with shavings in them.

But no eggs!

The only thing that I think might be wrong is that the nestboxes are kind of open, no covers, just partitions between them. Do they maybe not feel safe enough in them?

Thank you all, I'm dying for my very first egg here!

 

[sellersgang]

Seems as tho a lot of people are having the same late laying problem for some reason. We have: 2 Mahoghany RIR, 2 Dominiques, 2 Welsummers and 1 RIW that are all 29 wks old. We also have 4 RSL and 2 BSL that are 27 wks old. Of all those .. 1 Welsummer started laying last week at 28 wks old.

So.. be patient.. I know its hard.. they will start in their own due time.

 

[digitS']

I had a beautiful Hamburg rooster once

, but no hens so I can't help you there. They may be late at maturing, don't know.

The nest boxes probably won't encourage or discourage them with laying. Those first eggs seem to show up as a surprise to the pullets. And, they are often layed on the floor. Have you kept a watchful eye out for yolk stains?

Developing that bad behavior may have more to do with the comfortable nests. The nests seem to be sacred whereas the egg showing up on the floor might be seen as food, sad to say

.

Steve