Girls still not laying!

[allieloveschickens]

My three barred rock pullets are now 6 months old, hatched May 7th- they are still not laying! A few weeks ago I was sure they were going to be laying soon because they were being very loud in the morning- now nothing. They are very quiet, no laying behaviors at all- not interested in the nest box, no squatting.. I am so impatient! Has anyone else had chickens that took a looong time to start laying? My BF is starting to suggest freezer camp!

 

[dsqard]

Um if they were born in May they are only 5 months old now. I know it is hard to wait! My wyandottes just turned 20 weeks today and still no eggs!

 

[Lydia&Andrew]

Our Orpingtons are 26 and 28 weeks and still no eggs! Join my club.

 

[Morgan7782]

Don't feel too bad! I have a 27 week old Barred Rock that was born around april 29th

no eggs yet

 

[chicks47]

I am in the same impatient mode! 5 chicks from April 22nd, Barred Rock, Orphington, Buff orph, RIR, Amer.... no eggs. I hear them sing, get loud, nothing. I have read and been told different things about the layer feed which they just started (I was told to use up the grower mix) Does the feed enhance the speed of them laying eggs? I watched a variety of youtube videos too, checked the pelvic bone spread, that varies. The Ameracauna doesn't even have a comb or wattles, yet her pelvic bones are probably the widest.
I think there are many signs and well, every hen is different, but I am comforted to know that my hens are not the only 'old chicks' ready to go into the soup if they don't drop an egg soon!

 

[sgtmom52]

Patience Grasshopper ~ they will lay when they are ready.

I have 2 hatched on April 4th and 8 from April 28 that are not laying yet.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
NOTHING induces laying. It happens on some arcane, physiological, hormonal schedule inside each and every pullet. If they start to lay "too young" then they can have troubles later in life, sometimes not very much later: internal laying, being eggbound, egg periotonitis, etc.

Layer feed merely provides extra calcium which is DEPLETED when they start laying eggs. It takes a lot of calcium to coat those yolks and whites!

Very few hens are barren. Female chickens are hard-wired to lay eggs. When they do is up to Nature. Trust me, there ain't no pullets crossing their legs holdin' in a passel of eggs!

 

[nittanyxi]

I have 21 that were all hatched may 10 (mixed breeds) and only 6 of the 21 are laying. My barred rock is one that is not laying yet. Mine went through a juvinile molt before any of them started laying. I increased the protien level of their feed a little. I don't feed mine layer because the protien is only 16. I have them on a higher protien grower and I give them oyster shells so the ones getting ready to lay can have access to calcium.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'd like to play devil's advocate here. I think it does have to do with what you feed them, at least partly.

I have 30 females from an April 16th hatch and AT LEAST 24 of them are laying currently (that's the most eggs I've gotten in a day and it was this week). I've got white leghorns laying, buff orphingtons, EEs, a phoenix, barred rock, sex links - in fact most of them are laying... The earliest started laying at 16.5 weeks. I realize that's EARLY and it's early for the rest of them, too. I'm hoping they don't have problems later in life.

I started them on 22% protein and then switched to 20% protein. They've been on the 20% since. I just purchased a bag of layer pellets to give to them in the morning as a "snack" softened with water so they get some extra calcium besides the crushed up egg and oyster shells. They also get sunflower seeds and a bunch of kitchen scraps/treats.

I don't think the 16% protein (the layer food) is enough for my girls (mostly large fowl) which is why I've kept them on 20%. They're absolutely gorgeous nice soft shiny feathers... but I think the good nutrition might be why they're laying early.

 

[nittanyxi]

Id have to agree about the relationship to protien level and starting to lay.