egglaying

[Mother of All]

I started a new flock late last summer about end of July they still are now laying. Can someone give my a reason why?

 

[StarLover21]

Shhh....you'll jinx yourself

However, its probably because they're first year pullets.

 

[jmtcmkb]

I started a new flock late last summer about end of July they still are now laying. Can someone give my a reason why?

Are you saying they are NOT laying? I've got a friend who started a flock late July, she put lights on them and they started laying in December.

 

[Mother of All]

they are not laying at all even my one banshee and my turkey in not laying and have on since Sept. I also have new other hens that started laying in Sept and layed for only a few weeks and then they stopped I have no eggs yet a feeding bill

 

[jmtcmkb]

I dont have much experience this is my first little flock> hoping someone may give you some insight. From what I have read they need the right feed (layer feed) and also enough daylight.

What is the situation with feed and light?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I started my original flock in July years ago too. Mine began laying in December but I was providing them with supplemental light. Hens need light to trigger the hormones necessary to make eggs, which is not available naturally in the wintertime. Here is some more info I wrote on the issue and what you can do to get them started!
http://eggcartonlabels.blogspot.com/2011/09/supplemental-light-in-coop-why-how.html

 

[jmtcmkb]

Nice information thanks. Now I have a question for you and I am not the OP

Mine are about ready to start the laying process, they were hatchd end of Sept. I have a small coop 4x5. I do have christmas lights around the coop and run ( outside) but havent had them on since Christmas. Do you think if I start putting them on in the early am hours it would help with the light needs? I am up well before sunrise every day, crazy me!

 

[Fred's Hens]

July chicks are at a slight disadvantage. They come into Point of Lay in December, right during the winter solstice period, the darkest days of the year. While some strains will lay anyhow, most will not. The keeper CAN supply supplemental lighting to fool them into laying, or one can just wait until spring, when the longer sunlight hours will stimulate them naturally.

In contrast, a "spring chicken" or a chick hatched in March or April usually begins laying in September and normally don't struggle with this. This is where the old expression comes from, when talking about someone elderly, "She's not a spring chicken anymore."

 

[audrey02026]

I have 4 that I hatched on 8/29 and two of them just started laying a couple weeks ago the other two haven't started yet. I ordered 4 from MPC end of June and they are all laying and have been for about a month now. I use no artificial light.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

The Christmas lights will absolutely help egg production. Aim for 12-14 hours of total light per day and turn them on in the morning (yawn. I'm SO not a morning person). You can put them on a timer if you prefer. Production will pickup within a week to 10 days!

Nice information thanks. Now I have a question for you and I am not the OP

Mine are about ready to start the laying process, they were hatchd end of Sept. I have a small coop 4x5. I do have christmas lights around the coop and run ( outside) but havent had them on since Christmas. Do you think if I start putting them on in the early am hours it would help with the light needs? I am up well before sunrise every day, crazy me!