I am soooo done....

[dsqard]

I am right there with you as well. I have three Wyandottes that are 21 weeks old and four Ameraucanas that are supposedly two months older than them. (I suspect the Am's are actually younger but I really don't know) Not a single stinking egg yet!

DH wants to take a beer can out and show it to them as an incentive.

I know the Wyandottes are getting close since their combs and wattles have gotten pretty big and red. The "older" Am's? Well lets just say they are not nearly as close! I was sure that someone would start laying last weekend since we went out of town and had a friend taking care of the animals for us. Figured she would have the honor of getting the first egg but still nothing.

Between getting my first chickens, building the first coop, getting some more chickens, buying their coop and then building a coop big enough for all of them to live together I figure my first egg will cost around $2000 if I ever get one!

In the mean time they just blissfully come running their eggless selves to me whenever I get the treat bucket out!

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:

hun, i see your point!!!

 

[elizabethlongwood]

I have 2 that are 28 weeks and not laying (a wyandotte and a buff orpington) and a 26 week old EE also not laying. Only one of my four girls is, and has been for 6 weeks! It is very hard to patient, especially when family and friends keep asking when they're going to get some eggs:/

 

[woodmort]

I keep trying to tell people not to go by week but by months. Many chickens don't lay in 22-26 weeks just because others--even their hatchmates--do. There are a lot of factors besides maturity--breed/genetics, feed, coop conditions, weather, time of year, and the individual bird's personality. Most (with emphasis on most), however, will be laying at 7 months which is anything from 26 to 30 weeks.

 

[phaethona]

It sounds like you'll have a few eggs any day now.

with mine, I was dead set on getting all 11 layers going every day as soon as they hit around 22 weeks or so...didn't happen.
one or two did start then, but it took about 2 months after that for everyone to fall in line. it was much more of a gradual process than I thought, especially working out the "kinks" like soft shells, fart eggs, etc.

have you heard them doing the egg song yet? that was one of my best indicators.(I'm hearing it out my window as I type)

I could be wrong, but I thought Flock Raiser was a chick feed, not for birds coming into lay, again, could be mistaken...
we did chick starter until about four months then we switched to 16 percent layer feed, it seemed to have helped them along.

I totally feel ya on the patio thing

I'm waiting for the sun to hit mine so I can go spray it down...again...

hang in there(easier said than done, I know), it sounds like you'll be posting your first egg pics soon

 

[SparksNV]

thanks everyone for all of the words of support and encouragement


really loved the chicken in a pot!


i'll try to be more patient...


i think everyone will know when that first egg gets here....