I was told .........

[Sc00ter4900]

At 20 weeks my chicks would start laying eggs. For some reason no one told the chicks about it. My got my baby chicks May 13 2009. There over 20 weeks. There on normal pellets now. They get treats 5 times a week. They have a clean coop fresh water. Is there something I'm doing wrong ? Thanks Scotty

 

[paddock36]

Just takes time. What type chickens do you have? Some don't lay as soon as others.

 

[Renee']

Hang in there, mine didn't start until they were almost 6 months old.

 

[HEChicken]

20 weeks is the average. I've heard of them starting as early as 17-18 weeks and as late as 40 weeks. There are other factors at work: number of daylight hours (egg production slows down around this time of year and a hen that is old enough to lay at this time of year may wait until Spring when the days are getting longer again), breed, moult etc.

 

[HBuehler]

Unless you have some of the early laying breeds you were told wrong...sorry

most are around 6 months and then now you need to factor in the shorter days and it could be longer before you see any.
Our Easter Week chicks have just started to lay the past two or three weeks and then not all of them are laying yet. The white egg layers have been laying awhile now..they lay sooner most often.

 

[only one lay]

I was at 26 a day out of 28 birds, Michiagn weather went cold and now am getting 1 or 2. Hopefully they adjust soon.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Weather, day length, and stress all can play a role as well. Give them some time.

.....Alan.

 

[chicknjane]

I also got my pullets on May 13, 2009 and only 3 out of 5 of them are laying at this time. Two Red Sex links and one BO. There is another BO and a GLW who still haven't laid. It all depends on the breed and the hen herself.

Edited to Add: Oh, and my first didn't start laying until about three weeks ago. The second two just this past week.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Out of 20 pullets, I had 1 laying at 18 weeks, 2 more at 20 weeks, and 2 more at 23 weeks. Tomorrow is 24 weeks and I have 5 out of 20 laying, or 25%. Of the 5 laying, I have 3 out of 7 Orpingtons and 2 out of 4 Delaware. Some of the others still have pink combs so they are a ways off. Depending on how many you have and somewhat breed dependent, 20 weeks is not a bad age for the first of them to start laying, but some will take longer.

You are probably not doing anything wrong. Your temperatures and hours of daylight could effect it some, but with pullets coming into lay, i would expect you to get some eggs soon. With the time of year, you will probably not get as many as if they were coming into lay in August, but you should get some.

Good luck!

 

[cherylcohen]

23 weeks - Ameraucana and columbian wyandotte

18 weeks - RIR & gold laced wyandotte

17 weeks - speckled sussex, Ameraucana #2, BO, blue wyandotte, cuckoo maran

and no one is even thinking about laying!!! I put a light out there to give them a few more hours of daylight, but they are still going to bed at 6:30.- so they are only up 12 hours

Patience is NOT my middle name