Freeloading slackers I tell ya! WHEN will they lay??

[xXDestinyXx]

Our big girls will be 20 weeks tomorrow. They’ve had bright red, full combs and wattles for weeks now. Two have been doing full squatting for at least 2-3 weeks, and the others are following suit within the last 1-2 weeks. Like, you can literally walk up to them, put your hands near them, and they squat. Our chickens are very much pets of course but we’re getting beyond antsy waiting for a first egg!

We have bantams as well in with these girls (they’ve all been together for quite some time now) but the girls in question are slightly older than our bantams and include:

2 Barred Rocks
2 EE
3 Black Australorps
1 Rhode Island Red

They’re currently on Nutrena feed. They were on All Flock from about week 15-18, which had 20% protein, 1.9% calcium, and are currently on Hearty Hen (18% protein, 3.9% calcium) because All Flock was OOS. I just purchased Layer pellet (16% protein, 3.9% calcium) but that hasn’t been opened yet. Upon advice from a friend who’s been keeping chickens for years, they suggested doing some oyster shell occasionally and adding faux eggs to the nest boxes. This has produced some inquisitiveness but no eggs as of yet.

It’s getting a bit frustrating because all the signs have been there for so long...but no eggs.

We live in NE AR and it’s hot and humid lately, albeit was nice and cooler all last week. We installed a box fan for breeze on the really hot days. The girls are in a nice, large enclosed, fully secured run that we built back in the spring (I still need to do a thread on that ) and they have ample room even in the coop (which is well ventilated). Plenty of fresh food and water available and everyone is very happy...and SPOILED lol

Any idea why we don’t have eggs yet? Are they just taking their sweet time?? Any input is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Madvalleychick]

The signs do seem to be there. I’ve been researching like mad trying to predict when my pullets will lay too. Most consistent info I have found is that 24 weeks seems a safe bet, but there seem to be surprises a few weeks on both sides (breed, light.. who knows what other factors play in). One sign that has me curious is the “egg laying song” apparently some will sound like geese when they lay their eggs. So that’s another one for you. Either way enjoy your chickens. It’s an adventure!

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

I have several girls that "sing" that song. Ive watched them lay. If I had to do that everyday I would squak too!! All my girls laid within weeks of each other. When they look they are trying to poop with no result its typically their first egg. It could be in the box or on the ground. And dont be surprised if the first couple arent quite right. Practice makes perfect 20 weeks is still a little early. Give them a few more weeks.

 

[swamphiker]

The wait is difficult! My pullets are just about the same age (20 weeks on Tuesday), and no one is laying yet either, although a couple of them are squatting and singing the egg song. One more thing you can check if you are getting really antsy is the width between their pubic bones, article here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[KIMEng]

Love your post, my husband would have titled it the same way! We have 2 sets of "flocks" The first set (of 4) started laying right at 20 wks, one started and then the rest fell in suite with in about 1-2 weeks-we were spoiled. The next flock we have started laying around 24-30 wks much later. My husband started giving them the lectures on what happens to chicken that don't lay eggs, LOL. He was just used to the first flock that started at the 20 wk mark. It sounds like all the signs are there and me giving you advice that any day now you will see an egg seems lame, but its true- I have been there before with our second flock. The best advice a got from one of the long timers here on BYC is they will lay when they are ready- I know that stinks. Your feed, seems to be right on, chickens really have enough calcium stored up to lay their first eggs without the layer feed at the start of laying -I was told that form one of the long timers here on BYC. Yes, the waiting game is just torture-but once they start it never gets old going out and getting the eggs everyday, at least not for us.

Oh, don't change up to many things on them, as in their feed, chickens like the same-old same-old routine. We changed our girls feed one time and their laying was off for several days.

Good luck!!

 

[xXDestinyXx]

Ohh yeah the egg song has been ongoing for like a month now! Lol. I thought for sure we’d have something by this point. But lo and behold...

look what I walked out and discovered around 2:30pm today!!!!

YALL!!! I can’t explain how exciting this was!!! I was checking the nest boxes and looked to my left where one had been nesting down on the hemp apparently lol and there it lay! I’ve never ran so fast in boots in my life! Hahaha! I couldn’t WAIT to show my hubby and our kids! Everyone is super duper excited! This little gem is from our very sweet EE, Cocoa. She’s such a sweetie and loves being held and loved on lol.

I had a gut feeling if I posted this, I’d see an egg today . Seems to be par for the course.

Can’t wait until the others start laying!! Thanks everyone for your input! Keep it coming because I like to hear other stories!

 

[KIMEng]

Ohh yeah the egg song has been ongoing for like a month now! Lol. I thought for sure we’d have something by this point. But lo and behold...

look what I walked out and discovered around 2:30pm today!!!! View attachment 2217099

YALL!!! I can’t explain how exciting this was!!! I was checking the nest boxes and looked to my left where one had been nesting down on the hemp apparently lol and there it lay! ❤ I’ve never ran so fast in boots in my life! Hahaha! I couldn’t WAIT to show my hubby and our kids! Everyone is super duper excited! This little gem is from our very sweet EE, Cocoa. She’s such a sweetie and loves being held and loved on lol.

I had a gut feeling if I posted this, I’d see an egg today . Seems to be par for the course.

Can’t wait until the others start laying!! Thanks everyone for your input! Keep it coming because I like to hear other stories! ☺

Congratulations, great news !!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Congratulations on the first egg!!! Super exciting!!!

The others should hopefully follow suit soon!!

My experience was much the same as @KIMEng in that my first flock laid pretty early, I think I got the first couple at 22 weeks? And within a couple weeks everybody was laying. This latest flock I had one (my Leghorn of course lol) start at like 20 weeks and most of the other slackers (all various dual purpose breeds) didn’t start until like 9 months old!!

Of course they were going into lay in the fall/winter instead of spring like my first flock so I guess they waited but still.

It can vary a lot!!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also, Hearty Hen is technically a layer food too so you didn’t need to change it. That one is fine to feed! It just has a higher protein level than the other layer feeds but it’s layer too. I actually prefer feeding a higher protein food and have even fed my girls all flock or flock raiser type feeds before with oyster shell on the side they’re on layer again now but they don’t technically need it as long as they have oyster shell.

 

[LaFleche]

The first egg is always the best!