How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[vehve]

We haven't had any yet. My girls are just over 5 months or about 20 weeks. They are RIRs if that makes a difference. I am starting to worry. Anyone got any ideas?

20 weeks is about the average laying age, so nothing to worry about yet. Any redness to their combs and wattles? That would be a sign of your first egg approaching.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We haven't had any yet. My girls are just over 5 months or about 20 weeks. They are RIRs if that makes a difference. I am starting to worry. Anyone got any ideas?

There is no need to worry at all - they *can* start anywhere from 18-28 weeks - with 22-26 seeming to be the most common average for most breeds. As long as your birds are on a good diet and kept in good conditions they will lay when they are ready.

 

[groleau6]

As long as your birds are on a good diet and kept in good conditions they will lay when they are ready.

The coop and flock are my daughter's pride. She has built the thing herself (with little family help) out of recycled pallets and PVC piping. It's her science project for the year as well as some of her practical math--we homeschool. She has big plans of painting it red and adding a window box of flowers, along with a sign that says Connie's Coop. They are on a diet of egg layer crumbles, cracked corn, lettuce (when we have extra in the garden) and rarely scratch. They are kept in pretty good conditions. The coop is big enough for about 15 birds but she was worried about over crowding so we are down to six RIR hens, a RIR rooster and our two ducks. Because of the ducks there is always plenty of water around.
Thank you for giving me an average time frame to work with. I guess every flock is different.

 

[groleau6]

20 weeks is about the average laying age, so nothing to worry about yet. Any redness to their combs and wattles? That would be a sign of your first egg approaching.

We are having some redness and some behavior changes this week. I actually just put a question in another forum about it, with the same results you said about the first eggs.

 

[vehve]

Quote: I'm no expert, but I'd say the diet is a bit heavy on calcium for a flock of birds not laying yet (not a problem if they've only been on layer feed for a short time), and a bit low in protein if the corn is a large part of their diet. I'm guessing that might delay the laying slightly, but probably nothing significant. If someone has any contrary thoughts, feel free to shoot down my theorizing, as I said, I'm not an expert.

 

[vehve]

Quote: This is a Marans the day she laid her first egg. Different breed of course, but some indication of how a chickens comb and wattles look around POL.

 

[Blooie]

We haven't had any yet. My girls are just over 5 months or about 20 weeks. They are RIRs if that makes a difference. I am starting to worry. Anyone got any ideas?

You're doing exactly the right thing - actually the only thing - you can do right now. Waiting. It's hard, and it's a big letdown to go out there and see, well, nothing. But it won't be long until a "first egg" leads to a "first dozen", then to "What the heck am I going to DO with all of these eggs?" Patience, Grasshopper! Just be sure nest boxes are accessible, and putting a fake egg or two in each nest will help them get the idea of where to lay, but won't change when they'll start.

 

[vehve]

Quote: Well said. We got our first egg on June 25th, and today, we got our 100th. That's with 5 layers at this point.

 

[KentuckyMom]

6/6

 

[GreenDragon]

Well said. We got our first egg on June 25th, and today, we got our 100th. That's with 5 layers at this point.

You're doing exactly the right thing - actually the only thing - you can do right now. Waiting. It's hard, and it's a big letdown to go out there and see, well, nothing. But it won't be long until a "first egg" leads to a "first dozen", then to "What the heck am I going to DO with all of these eggs?" Patience, Grasshopper! Just be sure nest boxes are accessible, and putting a fake egg or two in each nest will help them get the idea of where to lay, but won't change when they'll start.

i have RIR's only half of my 8 are laying (im now getting 3 a day) and they are over 5 months it just takes time and only one started laying regular sizes eggs a few days ago. dont worry they will get there my hens wouldn't leave there coop and go into there pen for the first month they were in it. but now they are out side most of the day. i worried i had did something wrong but they only need time.