I am soooo done....

[SparksNV]

I have 6 hens:

Cabo - hatched 4/28 = Orp/del now 25 wk
Sassy - hatched 5/1 = Orp/del now 25 wk
Verde - hatched 5/1 = Orp/ee now 25 wk
Flower - hatched 5/19 = Orp/ee now 22 wk
Chucklina - hatched 5/19 = Orp/del now 22 wk
Meringue - hatched 5/19 = Orp/ee now 22 wk

Sassy looks like she should be laying. Full comb, wattles, earlobes all red, her vent is moist and swollen, has squatted a few times - NO EGGS

Cabo looks like she is about 10 days behind Sassy
Chucklina looks like she is about 3-4 weeks behind Sassy
The 3 Orp/ee I have no idea - their comb and face are mostly red.

These hens are not very friendly. I try to catch them but the scatter out of the way. The breeder I bought them from (very nice lady and a BYCer) said that the clutch mates to Sassy have been laying for a few weeks now. I am not expecting anything from the last 4 hens - especially the orp/ee hens - anytime soon.

I have started supplementing with light (started last Friday). It goes on at 6pm off at 8pm, on again at 5am and off at 7am. It is a bright florescent light.

I feed them a mixture of Flock Raiser and Layena (getting low on Flock Raiser so I mix the Layena with it), oystershell on the side, and only feed BOSS once a day as a treat. They look very healthy, eyes, nose clear, poop looks normal.

I have put a couple of store bought eggs in the nest boxes to see if they might be eating any eggs - but eggs are still there after 2 days. The hens are interested in the boxes. They go in and out of the coop. When I open the people door, which is by the boxes, the hens crowd in the and look at me and look at the boxes.

They are not allowed to free range without supervision (they like my paver patio and want to hang out under the table - the poo gets into the creases of the pavers - not fun to clean). I know they are not laying in the "free range section". Our run does not have alot of hiding places. I search what few places there are and, obviously, no eggs.

I want to be patient but..... everyday at work I have someone asking about eggs. Two people I know got hens after me (they thought it would be fun to have them) have started getting eggs. I was holding one of my friends' hens and it crapped on me *sigh*.

This was while she was showing me two of the most beautiful creamy brown eggs....

Is it unusual to have hens from the same clutch start laying as such different times? I'm starting to think they are roosters in hens clothing!

thanks for listening to me....

 

[Yay Chicks!]

The wait is sooo very difficult, but you are still within a reasonable time period. They are not super late or anything. One thing I've read is that you don't need to supplement light with pullets. They should lay through the the first winter without out. Good luck. You should have eggs soon

.

 

[welasharon]

At least you know you have hens....I am waiting on what looks like three roosters to lay! Guessing your odds are better than mine! LOL

 

[lynxs1981]

Just have to wait. I know, it's hard. I have a pair of OEGB hens, same age when I bought them, one has been laying for a month; still waiting on the other.

 

[Olive Hill]

It's not uncommon to have hens hatched at the same time start laying at vastly different times. It's hard, but be patient.

 

[bburn]

When you least expect it....there is an egg. They will lay on their schedule. Mine have been laying since Oct 6 and they were born the first week in May/last week in April.

It will be so eggciting!

 

[pontoosuc]

I have 16 pullets, most, 22 weeks old.

We've had 8 eggs so far, spaced within the last 3 weeks.

Every night I read them the "EGG Book", or chant the "EGG song", or. etc......

Good luck. You will see them soon, me too ( I Hope).

 

[andysforrest]

I have 18 pullets at 22 weeks, still no eggs either. I also have some older Buff hens that I get up to 3 eggs a day, so they should have good behavior to follow. The wait is hard...we can be patient together!

 

[Sphinx]

The waiting game is maddening, isn't it?


Four of my chickens were hatched on 4/24. One was hatched a couple days earlier. I got my first egg TODAY. They all suddenly got much tamer in the last week or two, and all but one started squatting a few days ago. Their combs and wattles have been bright red and big for over a month though.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Homey don't play that! This is what I do with hens that won't lay:

Perhaps a big KFC sign inside the coop for a little incentive....