Anyone else waiting for thier first egg?

[lbug]

Should she be laying eggs? Her comb is bright red

 

[Biddylover]

I have 4 girls that are 25 weeks, no eggs. 2 that are 21 weeks no eggs and of course my 19 week old isn't laying either. I go every morning to check, but get a little dissapointed I hope like a previous poster said 'that later the better, to early can be bad for them'. Freeloaders ROFL they are getting gamebird food now, that stuff is so expensive at our feed store

 

[BlackBart]

Mine have started but its slow, not every day and the eggs are small, very cute like easter eggs.
The hens seem to be laying them while on the roost and plop! they break on the coop floor. There were six on the floor at lunchtime.
I suppose they haven't figured out the whole egg laying thing yet.

 

[koifarm]

We've had four flocks in the last six years or so...and we know a little bit about the feathered egg machines...
One hint for those of you who have chickens past 18-20 weeks and not laying, it's important to switch from starter/grower to layer feed when you see the first egg or when 18 weeks rolls around.
I keep a written history of when the chicks were purchased, when they first start laying and how long they lay...if you are detail oriented, you can get little plastic leg bands with numbers and keep track of individual hens, although we gave that up after the first year and took a more casual approach....
Most all of our flocks started laying between 17-22 weeks after hatching....
We let our flock out during the day and they coop up at dark and we then lock the coop door and pen door for the evening. They can push the little coop entry door in the morning and will feed and water in the pen till we let them out.
The eggs are tasty, beautiful brown eggs with a dark orange center.
One thing you can do for treats if you have a bait shop nearby, get crickets....they will go nuts for crickets....I have a couple of hens who will fly up and perch on my shoulders and arms to get at the crickets sooner than the rest...
Right now we have 18....9 Golden Orbs and 9 white barred rocks, both brown egg layers.

Oh by the by, our chicken bible is Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens....excellent book full of good info.....

 

[kipepeo]

I am waiting also for the first eggs to arrive mine will be 20 weeks on the 25th so they do have a ways to go but nobody is even bothering to check out the nest boxes but all in good time I guess. My four year old can't wait and maybe this will get him to eat eggs he won't eat them for me but he does grudingly at daycare.

 

[koifarm]

Laying motivation; sometimes if your hens are slow to start laying you can post an 8x10 picture in the coop of a fully cooked chicken on a platter....you'd be amazed how many eggs start rolling in the nests....

 

[Katy_didnot]

20 weeks tomorrow and waiting. I know it can be a few more weeks yet, but I sure hope it isn't!!!!!

 

[Owner of Elvis]

Barred Rocks began laying around 22 weeks. Have Easter Eggers, RIR's and Production Reds which should start anytime now. One of the RIR's comb and wattle are bright red but no squatting that I've seen her.

The greatest joy is that it will happen when you least expect it!

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

orpingtons at 25 weeks now and still nothing...except one of the five started crowing..hee hee

 

[Katy_didnot]

We have a RIR pullet(?) named Bob That might end up acually being a boy. Big red comb and wattles but no saddle feathers. I figure Bob is going to either lay an egg or start crowing any day. I'm hoping if it was the latter it would have happened already, but it might just be wishful thinking.