could the heat cause

[pinkwindsong]

hi everyone.. got a question, my girls are 20 weeks old now.. they have pretty pink combs and wattles. their size is good, they've been wormed and de bugged, they have a good safe next box, but no eggs yet!

Im wondering if it could be the heat. it hasn't been this high of a heat wave since 1986. days in the upper 90s to low 100's. Ive lost three to the heat but the 6 I have now seam to have adapted and are handling the heat quite well.

I do let them out during the day, and they go to a coop roost at night.. Its so hot I hate to lock them in the kennel run all day but I wonder ??? I havent seen any anywhere could they be laying out in the yard.?

thanks to all
Pink

 

[KellyHM]

They're probably not quite old enough yet. The heat can also suppress laying.

 

[aggie9296]

they should get really red combs and wattles right before they start to lay. your may still be young. different breeds start at different time.

 

[ChicKat]

20 weeks is on the early end for most breeds isn't it? Leghorns and sex links usually start laying youngest, and some of the breeds require longer to mature, and the other side is they live longer and lay longer.

Heat could be preventing them from laying---feed consumption and laying goes down in heat. If you go to my BYC page on the one that says 'charts and quotes' there is a chart there that tells how each temperature affects chickens.

And you are right, if they are out all day free ranging, then they may find a place that they think is just dandy for egg laying. In this heat, you can't keep them cooped up, probably....

Have you tried the fake-eggs or golf balls in the nest box thing? I guess you can hang on until the temps cool and then keep them in the run until they get the habit of laying in the nesting box. My BPRs didn't start laying until 24 weeks.

 

[pjknust]

When my first bunch 3 yrs ago were fixin to lay I put wooden eggs in the nest. Works great. A few weeks ago when I put in new roosts and they didnt even want to go in the hen house much less lay or roost, I put the wooden eggs back in the nest.
I have 7 pullets coming up and I will do so again so they will know where to lay. ANd then when one goes broody you have to take them out or she will never get out of the box!

pam in TX

 

[stilldeb]

Most of mine started laying somewhere around 26 weeks.

deb g