Freeloader Chickens still not laying

[AlbertaHen]

Enjoy the wait and relative peace and quiet. With 25 Leghorns you'll likely have eggs by the bushel when they get into their rhythm and all that egg-song could be most entertaining!

haha they are starting to make some really loud noises now. I can only imagine 25 of them at once. My neighbour was supposed to take 8 but she has decided to keep hers for a while longer so looks like I'm stuck with 25 until she comes and takes them.

 

[Grub Digger]

maybe they're practicing the "egg song"

 

[Egghead_Jr]

22 weeks is still young. If you want to hear about free loaders try 10 months for first egg. An she's still the only one of eight laying. Kicking myself for not putting light in the coop this winter. The next two weeks will be mid 40's and 50's so expect them to finally give up the ghost.

 

[AlbertaHen]

22 weeks is still young. If you want to hear about free loaders try 10 months for first egg. An she's still the only one of eight laying. Kicking myself for not putting light in the coop this winter. The next two weeks will be mid 40's and 50's so expect them to finally give up the ghost.

10 months!! Wow, yeah I think mine would be soup by then

What sort of light do you put in a coop? I had a white heat lamp but it was too hot in there so I turned it off.

 

[sawilliams]

One of my girls is at least 8-9 months and only have us her first egg about a week ago.

Honestly though by the looks of that picture moat of them are still very pale (light combs answer wattles) they aren't ready yet. Most of mine started to color (or turn red) anywhere from a few weeks to a month before they started laying. I can't give a true age on any of my girls but 1 started at about 5-6 months (just before winter) one at about 6-7 months (mid winter) I had 2 start around 6 months just a few weeks ago and then the last one who was 8-9 months last week. Given us mine ate a mixed flock of mixed breed girls,but your really just never know. I would also guess to say weather could delay then too. As here is averaging 60-70 degrees during the day, we have some 50s but over all is much warmer for my girls then it is for other areas

 

[AlbertaHen]

That was an older pic from a month ago. Here's one from just now. They are all getting more red and bigger combs except for a couple which still havent reached puberty yet

 

[Egghead_Jr]

When I used to light coops in winter it was with a very low watt bulb on timer to come on 5 am and off 8 am, That little added light was enough to keep birds laying all winter. Pullets will lay well enough without light first winter. These birds just didn't come into lay before the solstice. Kept thinking they'd start in early February then late that month then....now I'm behind with breeding and realize I should have put in a light back in early Feb so I could have eggs in incubator now. Generally not a fan of the light but will certainly have to use it this fall if the birds are not in lay by then. Probably just use it long enough to get them laying then take it out. Pullets do well enough without if they at least have started.

 

[sawilliams]

That was an older pic from a month ago. Here's one from just now. They are all getting more red and bigger combs except for a couple which still havent reached puberty yet

I know it's always hard to tell colors in pictures. There is one is the group that is laying or is close to buy most of them look pretty pale still. Hopefully things will change soon for you