Grrrr, no eggs as of yet, my hens are 19 weeks old...

[Friend2Fowl]

I feel your pain.

I have 5 white leghorns, 5 brown leghorns, 2 BA, 1 SLW, 1 dominique, and 1 NHR, all are 24 weeks old today, and I think 2 of them started laying finally. But it could be the bantam OEG that are in their pen, the eggs are definitely pullet eggs, but seem a bit too big to be bantams. I also have 3 BR about 20 weeks old, not one of those is laying yet either

 

[KandJsmama]

Two of my EE's were 28 weeks when they finally started. Their beautiful eggs were definitely worth the wait!

 

[Tala]

EE's and BO's take a while to mature.

19 weeks is pretty dang early too!
My earliest laying pullet is a black sexlink and she started at 21 weeks old.

 

[Davaroo]

You should know that 24 weeks is considered standard for start of lay with medium-large breeds like EE's.

Patience.

 

[WOT]

You might try to rush things by adding light, adding light 24 hours a day, 1, 150 watt flood in middle of coop raised my production from 5 or 6 out of ten to a consistent 8/10 this winter, I left the light off for two weeks and production fell again, so maybe it works as they started back to 8/10 within days of me leaving the light on again. I know commercial growers play with the light cylce to hurry along production chickens.

 

[ChooksChick]

Be cautious with the light.

Too much light or calcium when the oviduct isn't mature can cause internal laying issues later on- it can speed the laying process if toying with a molt and whatnot, but it's certainly a risk to force 24 hours a day.

Please research this before attempting.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
And by the time yo do all that, they will probably be laying.

Chickens dont have a calendar they go by. We must adapt to them.

Patience.

 

[New2Peeps]

Patience is the key. Nature will take its course and chickens will lay eggs when their bodies are ready. My beautiful blue Ameraucana produced her first egg last week. She is 46 weeks old.

 

[Opa]

I agree that patience is paramount to raising chickens. I some bantams that hatched in late March of last year and I've yet to get an egg from them.

 

[pfmoore17]

19 weeks....young
come back in 6 weeks, then start the post!
good luck