Chicken Soup!!! or Wait For The Eggs?

[HappyHatch'en]

My 4 hens, 6+ months old have not bought my breakfast yet and I'm thinking dinner...what's up with no eggs?

 

[lauralou]

Sometimes they wait till spring to lay their first eggs. They may actually be ready to lay, but there aren't enough hours of daylight this time of year. That happened to me last year with some pullets I hatched.

You've raised them this long, if it were me I'd wait for the eggs. If you kill them now, you'll just find yourself waiting on the next bunch... Or you could add a light in their coop to extend the hours of daylight and stimulate them to lay.

 

[speckledhen]

I had a couple wait till they were over 40 weeks old to lay their first eggs. They're each different and individual and are also influenced by light and weather.

 

[gumpsgirl]

With the days growing shorter and getting colder, their eggs might be delayed. If it was just one hen, that would be one thing, but all of them??? I'd wait.

 

[redstars]

It's worth the wait.
There is an awesome feeling when the first egg arrives.

 

[The Zoo]

patience is a virtue.

 

[williamtfarns]

Inappropriate remarks removed. ​

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I hope all of you are right, however I sold a pair of Speckled Sussex ( rooster & hen ) and that hen started laying two days after being at her new home. However, I'm enjoying watching them free range and following me around... so I really wouldn't have made chicken soup...

 

[lurky]

Are they getting layer feed in addition to free range?

 

[HappyHatch'en]

Yes, I've been feeding them layer as well as free range...lately they have been kept in the coop...to see if they are laying....but no success....I had a small RIR hen laying until a predator ( I assume a raccoon ) got it, now I'm hunting coon!!!!!!