I am going to MAKE THEM LAY!!!!!!!

Very often I'm seeing posts about pullets who hatched in June not starting to lay in the fall, which is when they naturally slow down, and sometimes molt even if they are young. Some of my young ones did just that.

If you want eggs by fall, you gotta have pullets that hatched in spring, not summer, and preferably early spring. Otherwise they often won't lay until after fall molt season is over, even if they're old enough, even if they don't molt.

All you can do is give extra protein, (above 16%, at least 18%) and MAYBE put a light on a timer to come on about 2 hours before sunrise, and go off again at full light.

Then wait. They'll lay when they're ready. Not a minute sooner.
 
My BO's, WJG's, and silkies from Ideal were hatched April 16, 2008. Today we got 2 eggs and they were from our EE's.
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I'm gonna have to go down to the coops and threaten them with the frying pan.
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JG's mature slowly, they may not lay until spring. They have to grow bones for those huge frames, first.

I've never had Silkies, BO's may be waiting 'til molt season is over. But your EE's started, that's a good sign!
 
We did get one egg from the JG girls. I was the size of a silkie egg. The BO's were laying, but have stopped. I'm guessing because of the cold weather.

Just found out that one of my silkie hens have 4 eggs under her! She is so sneaky!!! Anyone need some chicks if they hatch??
 
I really do not expect them to lay until March. However, I can have some fun hoping it will happen sooner. I noticed today that the wyandotes and the barred rock had really red combs and waddles.
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I got them so late in the season because I threw my DH a hell a 50th b-day party/luau the first week of May. I did not want to be raising my first chicks while I was coordinating food, decorations, hula dancers, candles, etc. I placed my order with MyPetChicken about 2 weeks before the party and June was their first ship date.
 
Well gee, I can't imagine why! Doesn't everybody do that?

Seriously, I understand. I had to break some broodies this fall, because I just couldn't deal with the whole thing again, right then.

I've just noticed that the most common age for these fall non-layers if around 20-25 weeks. My hens are still in molt. I have maybe 18 old enough to lay, out of 28. Plus I have 5 more little ones. The highest number of eggs I've gotten any one day since about late Sept. is 9. Most days I get 4 or 5, yesterday 6, today, 1. I have 2 new layers, tiny pullet eggs. 2 at least, because some days I get 2 tiny eggs. I know at least 13 are in some stage of molt, because they're visibly molting. Others look finished, but if you pick them up and look under the feathers, they still have quills growing in. A few, you'd never know they milted, unless you picked them up and looked close, at the right time. Some of the younger ones molted right along with the grownup hens. I'll be glad when they get done, my egg customers are sad.
 
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My BA is laying. It has to be her, since she is the only one that looks "concerned" when she comes back in after I take the egg.
She is a week younger than my BO's and my BC, who were hatched in June. They are 25 weeks. I am hoping my other girls lay soon as well. But I am not adding light to their day either.
 

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