This is my first go with a flock of backyard chickens. They will be 28 weeks on Monday (posting this on fri). So far have not seen a single egg yet. They all look very healthy and are on a layer formula feed. I have the following breeds: 2 Brahmas 1 barred rock 1 GLW 1 Red Star 1 EE 1 Ancona 1 Australorp I know the different breeds mature at different rates, but from what I've read, it seems like at least some of these girls should be laying by now. Is something off or am I just being impatient?
With shorter days, it will take a bit longer for them to start laying. Is there anywhere they can hide the eggs? I would think your Red Star would be laying by now, but she could just be a slow developer. Any signs of laying soon - squatting, egg song?
I am having the same issue with my hens that are the same age. They should be laying like crazy right now but nothing.... I've just installed a timed lighting system where the light will go on earlier in the morning to give them supplemental light to trigger their laying hormone. If it were spring time they would be laying, but since the daylight is shorter now, they are being stingy.
About 12 hours of light is all they need to lay, so maybe a couple of extra hours of light on a timer would help. Most new chickens will lay the first winter even without supplemental light (I have heard.) Lock them in the coop and run for a day or two, and you will find out if they are hiding eggs. I like to keep 1 golf ball in my nest boxes to encourage them to lay--even for the older girls.
I will look into a light on a timer. I had been thinking about that, but I thought the shorter days would just mean less frequent eggs, as opposed to no eggs. I have tried locking them down in the coop and run for a few days to make sure they weren't hiding them in the yard. No luck. Haven't really noticed any squatting or egg song.
