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

k2chickens

Songster
10 Years
Apr 22, 2009
1,757
4
171
New Castle, Indiana
Birds consist of:

Barred Rock
Golden Sex Link
White Rock
Australorp
Silve Laced Wayondotte

All of them are near or around week 25. I have lost count over the month's, but this is my thesis.

Feed consist's of Chick starter/Grower from Rural king untill week 20. Then for the last 5 weeks they have been eating layer food from Rural king. Yes, i know the feed i am feeding them is garbage...high waste% and less than normal growth in my hen's. But it's all i can afford at the moment, being layed off is hurting me bad...but my girls still have access to unlimited food and water every day. Once i get another job, i plan on buying better/more expensive food..pureina comes to mind.

They spend most of their time in a inclosed 50sq ft run. The coop they have use to be an insulated dog house i modified to have 2 nest boxes. It's a little on the small side...enough room "by the book" to house 3 full size hen's...but all 5 of them seem to have no problem with one another inside the coop. They live at my mom's because chickens are not allowed inside my city..."that and my new land lords would not sign over a permission slip i could bring to the court to build a case around" So when i go there every day to feed them.....they get a small ammount's of time to free range...due to the high volume of hawks at my mothers farm.

So guy's, tell me what im doing wrong?? I have seen people say not to feed layer feed until i see the first egg...but then i have seen MORE people say they started layer feed around week 20 with no problems at all with egg start/production.
 
no help?
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You say they spend most of their time in the run. When they get out, do they head to any specific area? Take a look around your yard for hiding places. Are you letting them out of the pen in the am or pm?

As for layer feed, I don't feed it at all. I use Purina Flock Raiser for everybody (hens, guineas, quail, etc...)and provide oyster shell if they want it.
 
Patience, patience this time of year most people are experiancing a reduction in laying. I have birds I am waiting on too that are overdue, but in the spring I had pullets start at 20 weeks.
 
I always feed mine layer feed before they start laying. Never been a problem.

Are your egg boxes in the dark. No one is eating eggs are they?

Probably you will get eggs any day. I know the wait is so looooong!!!

Good luck hope you get eggs soon.
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Agree with the OP....check if they have any 'hidey-spots'....My first one to lay was 24 weeks old, GLW......I have another 2 GLW and one EE almost 25 weeks now and they hve not laid yet but look like they are way ready...... Hoping they'll start anyday now......
 
I know mine are slowing down right now. I usually get 4-6 eggs out of my girls a day. Yesterday I got 2. They might just need a bit longer.

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you get eggs soon.
 
Mine are definitely slowing down. I have two Buff pullets that should be laying. Only one just started and the eggs are really small. I also have to Araucana's that should be laying. Again, only one is and we just got our third egg from her, also very small. One of my Red Stars stopped completely while the other just keeps chugging. The RIR and the BR are sort of every other day. No chicken is older than a year. Lot's of changes in the past month so keep on waiting and be patient. Your rewards are coming!
 
Yep, I started feeding my pullets layer feed 'just' before they started laying... but that was only luck, because I just fed the starter till it ran out, then transitioned to the layena.

They'll lay when they lay, you aren't doing a thing wrong!

As far as the quality of your feed, well, chickens have been around a loooooonnng time, and back in the day, they didn't get any special layer feed, still layed eggs. Your doing fine!

I agree with the others that it's a combination of the time of year (lessening daylight, cool nights) and the breeds. The GSLs (gold sex links) might start laying first, but that's no sure thing.
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Yes my nest boxes are completly dark im guessing at night time. The only holes available for sunlight to get in are around the top of the coop. Should i cut squares out of the hinged top board that comes down on a slant to open and close the nest boxes so there will be light??? I could take hardwear cloth and cover the new holes so they can't jump out. But then i think about winter time and snow and ice getting in the next boxes?? Shoot!!! i don't know what to do on that one.

When they free range its around 5 pm. They don't seem to run off to a special hideing place...least not that i have seen. But i can look more closely next time to be sure. Thanks for all the info!! Keep'em coming.
 

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