Lazy Layers!??

[8675309j]

We got 2 buff Brahmas and 1 buff Orpington back in April. Our BO started laying promptly at 19 weeks old... My BB 28 weeks old now and are still not laying (there is one tree they hang in and we search it daily). We traded our surprise Rooster for a 1 year old already laying welsummer about 2 weeks ago and she isn't laying yet either (understand they take a while to readjust), all the chickens are getting along now after a week or so of her being left out some. What is going on with my birds??? I know BB's are later to lay but should they be this late? Will my welsummer start laying again???

TIA

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Brahmas are very slow to mature and, going into winter, it may be necessary to add light to kick start her.
Same with the Welsummer, short days and the stress of the move have shut her down.
They will lay again if not diseased.
Patience.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Seconded. Slow-maturing coupled with shorter days, it's not surprising if you're not getting eggs yet. Your new arrival might also hold off on laying until spring if you don't supplement their light a little. As it is, though, you don't really have anything to worry about health-wise. They seem to be behaving normally.

 

[8675309j]

Any reccommendtions on light...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Joined: Thu Oct 10th, 2013
Location: Missouri USA
Posts: 22
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To increase day length for production a white light just bright enough to read a newspaper by at roost height.
I use either compact fluorescent or 18 inch fluorescent tube. When it's real cold, I switch to incandescent cause the fluorescents sometimes fail closer to zero.
LEDs are pricier but in the long run will save on electricity and outlast all the others. LEDs can run on a cheap solar setup too.
Chickens, like most things, need a dark period so it's not good to keep light on them around the clock.
A red light limits picking on wounds and vents.

 

[8675309j]

Any battery operated lights work.. what hours are best to have it on.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people start about 4 AM but anything early or late that make for a total of 12 to 14 hours of total light counting daylight.
Most people worry about the light going out abruptly at night but I never had a problem when I used a Christmas light timer that came on at dusk and stayed on for 4 hours.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I sometimes turn on a light for my chickens in the evening, because I've been too lazy to deal with a timer, but I've read that giving extra light is best in the mornings that way they aren't caught off guard by the light shutting off.

If I provided them with extra light before I go to bed I go out and turn off the bright light and give them a very soft light that turns off after five minutes, it becomes dark enough that they instantly go to roost but enough light that they can still see what they are doing. I've read that chickens have zero night vision. As soon as it's pitch black in their coop they do not move at all.

 

[troy4]

We got 2 buff Brahmas and 1 buff Orpington back in April. Our BO started laying promptly at 19 weeks old... My BB 28 weeks old now and are still not laying (there is one tree they hang in and we search it daily). We traded our surprise Rooster for a 1 year old already laying welsummer about 2 weeks ago and she isn't laying yet either (understand they take a while to readjust), all the chickens are getting along now after a week or so of her being left out some. What is going on with my birds??? I know BB's are later to lay but should they be this late? Will my welsummer start laying again???

TIA

The new hen may be scared or stressed.The welsummer may be to hot or stressed.