Argh!!! Why aren't these ones laying!!???

[Xival Knievel]

So, my 2 golden sex links have been laying an egg each for about 2 months. But I have 5 chickens and I was expecting 3-4 eggs a day by now! I am annoyed at having to buy eggs at the store.

All of the chickens are, to my calculations, about 33 weeks old. The three others not laying are : Gold Laced Wyandotte, Speckled Sussex, Americauna. In the past few weeks we have begun getting less sunlight, about 10 hours per day... but we are in Oregon and we don't get very harsh winters. Should I be resolved to the idea of getting no eggs from them until next spring/summer? Do I need to install supplemental lighting in the coop?

I need some moral support

 

[Xival Knievel]

I figured I would include a few photos just for the heck of it- we took them about a week ago when we went out to clip their wings.

 

[Xival Knievel]

Also, how long does it take when new hens start laying before their eggs reach a normal large size?

I'm really hoping someone will have some advice to offer. Thanks!

 

[katrinag]

I know it seems like they will never lay but hand in there.
It can take a couple weeks in not more for the to reach there full size.

 

[Xival Knievel]

Thank you. So do you think I shouldnot give them any supplemental lighting?

 

[sara]

My dumb question is why do you clip their wings?

 

[LynneP]

My golden comets just reached 25 weeks and began laying at 16 weeks 3 days. The eggs reached full size after two weeks of laying and I get a couple of double-yolkers daily, now. Is it possible your birds are laying outdoors? Have you checked for a broody nest? I have 12 birds and get 11.5 eggs on average, daily. Mine are on layer feed and have been since they began laying. About 3 weeks ago I gave them extra pre-dawn daylight with a 100W bulb in a brooder light receptacle. What are your birds eating?

 

[Akane]

Patience. It's winter (light not cold effects their laying so harsh winters don't matter so much as how far from the equator you are) and they are young. I'd leave them to sort it out until spring. They still need to grow and some have argued the detriments of making them lay all through the winter.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with Akane. The others will start laying when their bodies are ready. Human females don't all "start" at the same time either.
I have all one breed, nearly 7 months old. Some have been laying for a couple of months now, others don't even look to be anywhere near ready to lay. No biggie. They'll get to it when nature intended.

 

[Chirpy]

I agree with the above posters. I did want to say though that my Speckled Sussex both are laying and they are just six months old - one's been laying for a couple of weeks already.

So, I'm wondering if you may have hidden eggs somewhere? Do your hens free range?

I have heard that Ameraucanas often don't lay until somewhere around 30 weeks old - so they aren't too far over that yet. I have 2 EE's that haven't started yet and they are also six months old.