At what age ranges do SLW lay?

[KnitswithChickens]

My SLW is 31 weeks and narry an egg. Do you think she's just waiting until spring? My Red Sexlink (same age) quit when the nights got dark earlier and my BO (also same age) started after the nights got darker earlier and is producing 5 eggs a week.

Just curious.

 

[Cetawin]

My SLW was a tad over 21 weeks hen she first laid....however, that was in July. Some of my other breeds did not lay until 25 weeks old. This time of year, you should expect egg production to drop off or stop. they need 14 - 16 hours per day of daylight or supplemental light to lay consistently. Laying is affected by temperatures, daylight, molting and etc etc.

Is there any way she could be hiding the eggs? Does she free range at all? If so, I bet the eggs are being hidden outside somewhere.

 

[Katy]

Mine were 32-33 weeks old when they started.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I have two GLW that are 31 weeks and 1 is laying for about a week now and the second is not laying at all yet. I also have two red sexlinks the same age that have been laying for 3 weeks now which I thought was late for them

Probably winter weather preventing them starting, I live in a fairly mild climate as far as winters go.

 

[azygous]

I raised nine SLW's and one GLW, half for myself an half for a friend. My troop began laying at 23 weeks, as of Nov.22. Hers have only just now begun to lay. This is curious since they were raised all together to the feathered stage.

The only difference we could determine was the amount of light. Mine were getting supplemental light at the front end of the day, and she has been relying on natural length of daylight.

We both live in the southern Rockies at around 7500 ft elevation, and it's been a very cold fall and winter. I don't know if cold has any bearing on it. However, mine are laying like little fiends and they're now 28 weeks old.

 

[KnitswithChickens]

Okay, now I'm bummed. Penguin does free range but only with me supervising (too many neighborhood cats) so I know she's not hiding eggs. She is squatting, hangs out in the nesting box on occasion and her comb and wattles are bright red. It does get dark here at 5:30 pm and they don't have supplimental light. I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that springtime brings results. If not, I'll have to train her to be a guard dog LOL!