How Much Longer??

[bcmama]

I got four, day old chicks on May 31st, but to date, only one is laying, a Chocolate Orpington. Do Copper Marans and SLWs just take longer to lay? Ho hummm

 

[Beau plus penny]

I got four, day old chicks on May 31st, but to date, only one is laying, a Chocolate Orpington. Do Copper Marans and SLWs just take longer to lay? Ho hummm

you also need to take into account that its to account that we are nearing the end of fall and temperatures are dropping so its likely some of them might start laying until around springtime.

 

[Debbie292d]

I got four, day old chicks on May 31st, but to date, only one is laying, a Chocolate Orpington. Do Copper Marans and SLWs just take longer to lay? Ho hummm

First-year layers should lay through the winter. It's just we're always impatient for those first eggs. I've been waiting 7 months for a silkie of mine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since most of them haven't already started there's a good chance that laying onset has been delayed due to decreasing daylight. They'll likely start once days start lengthening after solstice.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I got four, day old chicks on May 31st, but to date, only one is laying, a Chocolate Orpington. Do Copper Marans and SLWs just take longer to lay? Ho hummm

Neither of these surprises me:

- many Orps (certainly not all) are enthusiastic layers, and
- Marans and Wyandottes tend to take a little longer.

I think that it’s mainly because they’re all barely 7 months old and currently in darkest winter, at least in the Northern hemisphere. My two younger pullets are almost the same age, with red combs and all, but no laying yet. I’m content: I’m hoping these two will lay through next winter the way their three older flockmates are now.