Easter Eggers still not laying

[McPickle88]

Is is normal for 7 month old Easter Eggers to still not be laying?? I bought them as chicks in March this year and I swear they are still not laying! I thought I got a green one over a month ago that didn't belong to my Olive Egger but I have not gotten another one since. One of my EE has red ears and the other has greenish with red as well. Doesn't that usually mean one will be a tan egg layer and the other green or blue? OR are they just waiting till the spring to start laying since some of my other hens have already stopped for the season or are molting. PLEASE HELP!

 

[nuthatched]

Easter eggers are finicky layers. And they could just be laying uncolored eggs, not all will lay colored. The red eared one might lay tan. Can you get pictures?

 

[McPickle88]

Easter eggers are finicky layers. And they could just be laying uncolored eggs, not all will lay colored. The red eared one might lay tan. Can you get pictures?

Yes, I will go out and take photos!

 

[McPickle88]

Yes, I will go out and take photos!

 

[ShrekDawg]

You could try putting food coloring or something on the vent to see if they’re laying/which eggs are hers.

 

[McPickle88]

You could try putting food coloring or something on the vent to see if they’re laying/which eggs are hers.

Never heard of doing that!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Never heard of doing that!

I read about it on here but have never tried it myself. Seems like a good idea though. I would recommend something other than red though so you don’t think it’s blood although it is almost Halloween

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is is normal for 7 month old Easter Eggers to still not be laying??

I've had EE's start laying by 5 months. I've had EE's not start until 9 months. I've had EE's start laying in December, the shortest days of the year. I've had EE's start laying late summer, well before fall. I've had EE's wait until spring to start laying. Like other chickens, each EE is an individual and will start laying when they start. I understand how frustrating it can be, many of us have been there.

You only have two. If you have enough for averages to mean something you can have flock tendencies. But you don't. Some are going to lay early, some late, even if you have a flock average. With only two you could have easily gotten two late ones.

EE's are not a breed anyway. There are no standard traits or behaviors. They don't have tendencies. They can basically be anything. Lay any color of egg, have any color of ear lobe, have any comb type, be any feather color/pattern, be any size. They are basically a barnyard mix that has no tendencies.

One of my EE has red ears and the other has greenish with red as well. Doesn't that usually mean one will be a tan egg layer and the other green or blue?

There is no genetic connection to ear lobe color and egg shell color. Ear lobe color means nothing when it comes to egg shell color. When a breed is developed the person designing that breed determines what the egg shell color and ear lobe color will be. A lot of the time what chickens they are using to develop that breed limit their choice.

Many breeds have been developed to have red ear lobes and lay brown eggs, many breeds have white ear lobes and lay white eggs. I think that is where this rumor came from. But there are breeds where it is exactly the opposite. If you cross-breed chickens with some having red and brown, others having white and white, you can come up with pullets that are all mixed up. Remember EE's are not a breed. There are no standards to start with. Do not rely on ear lobe color to tell you what color of eggs your two EE pullets will lay.