Approaching week 25...NO EGGS?????????????????????

[PortageGirl]

No no, common wisdom is they are less likely to eat the eggs if the nest boxes are dark. I haven't noticed this being the case, but some will say hanging some burlap over the front of the nest area helps stop them from eating eggs if they start.

 

[The Zoo]

My EE is 26 weeks this week and hasn't started laying. My BPRs (that I got last year in the middle of April) didn't start laying till the end of October. Patience. I figure the longer the wait the better the eggs

Oh I started feeding mine layer at 20 weeks and had no issues, everyone matures differently.

 

[wombat]

We start feeding layer at about 20 weeks.

Have you seen any signs that any of them are coming into lay, such as deepening of the red color of combs, wattles, and face? You should see this as they are approching laying.

25 weeks without laying is not that unusual for most of the birds you've listed, but I would expect the golden sex links to be laying by this point.

Are you sure you have your weeks counted accurately?

 

[Dixiedoodle]

My Barred Rocks didn't start laying until they were between 24-27 weeks old. My Buff Orpingtons didn't start until they were 27-28 weeks old. My RIR were 25-27 weeks old.. I have Ameraucanas that are 29 weeks old and EE that are 25 weeks old and I have yet to get an egg from them....

Don't beat 'yourself up' over feeding them what you can afford. Years ago, my Aunt and Uncle had chickens and NEVER feed them laying mash or pellets, it was cracked corn and grains raised by them. they were not in a ' by the book' coop or run and I know the water wasn't changed daily........and they got lots of eggs, enough to barter for things they needed!

Good luck and I hope your eggs come soon...

 

[Rebel Rooster]

Don't feel too bad! I have 20 PWL from McMurray's... famed to start laying at 16 weeks! Well... a couple did lay an egg or two at around 17 weeks. It is now week 24 and I still have 7 or 8 of them that haven't layed yet! I have 5 BLH that are 27 weeks old and just started laying last week. I have a light brahma, a black giant and a blk giant BLH cross that consistantly lay an egg a day. I've been real frustrated with them lately! But it seems like we're not alone in this problem! So... I think patience is the key right now.

 

[k2chickens]

Quote:
thanks for the postive fact's and words! I did notice the other day my Barred Rock's face and comb and ear area got SUPER bright red!! So i suppose that could be a sign!!

Im really excited about getting my first eggs! I got out of 4-h in 05...went the full 10 years! Since then i have only got a dog and a small kitten to take care of as far as animals go. It's been sooo fun and exciteing raiseing my layer girls from a few days old...to hatching some shipped eggs i got a while back...and had a 85% hatch rate out of an LG Forced air. It was my very first incubation and i was VERY lucky.

To be honest, the run i have my girls in is about 47 to 48 sq feet. I said 50 befor because it makes me feal better to trick myself into thinking they actually have the 50 ft they need "by the book". When i built it, i was under the impression they only needed 4 to 6 feet per bird...well i got 50% done with my run and found out the rule of thumb is 10 ft per sq bird

So do you guy's think my 5 girls are too cramped in their run i built for them?? They spend about 80% of their time a week inside their coop and run, i just can't shake the fealing that they do not have enough space in there. Am i right to feal that way?? Or am i just over-reacting?

 

[sangel4you]

Don't worry, I have 5 white leghorns that I'm told are known for their production and early laying...my first one laid at nineteen weeks and here we are SEVEN weeks later (so 26 weeks old) and my last girl just finally started laying...and not regularly at all like the others I might add. They just all have their own schedule...I'd hate to see if they had been a breed that takes longer to lay like some of yours, so just relax

 

[PortageGirl]

47 sq feet is plenty big enough for 5 hens. the 10 per bird is a rule of thumb, it isn't a law or anything! It's something to shoot for, but 3 fewer isn't going to cause the end of the world.

Part of it is all about how well they get along too, if they are mellow and/or are raised together, (which it sounds like they are) they'll be fine.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Try getting tp them at the crack of dawn to watch what they do and listen to them. They may be hiding their eggs, or eating them. Then again, they may just not be matured yet. It is about that time though.

 

[patman75]

My BO is 26 weeks and nothing yet. My WLH and IB started at 19 weeks, SLW started at 23 weeks.