Freeloaders...

[sanchoman]

I have 2 RIR's that are now on their 19th week.

How much longer before they start laying?

 

[skovats]

mine were early but most are 20-25 weeks good luck

 

[Happy Chooks]

My RIR started laying at 24 weeks.

 

[chicken nanny]

Mine were 24 weeks,had 26 so it took awile till they all were laying, and boy do they lay lol...

 

[sanchoman]

thanks for the words! I'm excited as it feels like forever!

 

[bigoakhunter]

I also have freeloaders....20 weeks and six days with no eggs yet. Although it is a tough time of year to have them start laying. I search for that first egg and I am sure it will soon be here. Then I'll be like a little kid at Christmas time!!!

 

[catfish/okie]

The light of day right now is still short. But each day the sun is up longer and longer until the summer soltice. I have a New Hampshire that started at 19 weeks. but the rest were a month behind. These chickens were hatched on april 8 2009. That would be a interesting study to see if the time of year a chicken hatches effects how early or late they start laying.

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
I agree....because I swear it does! Chicks hatched from April - July end up reaching 20 weeks during Sept-Dec when the days are getting shorter approaching the Winter soltice. It always seems to slow them down coming into lay. My Fall & Winter hatchlings are usually laying at 18-22 weeks. But late Spring and Summer hatchlings take 3-4 weeks longer, same breeds. There are also comments on here from some folks who've waited until Spring for pullets to lay that had reached POL age in Fall. A light helps some.

 

[sanchoman]

would it help to turn a light on until say 10 pm when i go to bed and turn it on at 6 am when i wake up? That would give them an "Extra" 5 hours of light per day...

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Just be patient. It is wintertime after all. I would only add 2 hrs light because it is natural for them to have shorter days now. They can vary quite a bit. My 1st RIR started at 18-19 weeks, but not all of them.