More than ready for eggs!!

[Nimkimals]

So it seemed like we waited forever.......for our girls to arrive. They are here now, but we are going through the agonizing wait for the miraculous first egg. We have made just about every peace offering one could think of, but nothing seems to work.

Wondering if temperatures make a difference as to when they start to lay? It is still cold up north here, below zero every night and getting around 10c in the day time. We lock them up in the coop at night with a heat lamp on.

 

[cackleberrycam]

My hens usually do not lay in winter either. How old are they? Have their combs started swelling red?
Could the be hiding their eggs form you?

 

[Nimkimals]

We just got them, they are supposed to be 19 weeks. Not sure about the combs, will go have a look.

 

[cackleberrycam]

What do you feed them?

 

[iwiw60]

So it seemed like we waited forever.......for our girls to arrive. They are here now, but we are going through the agonizing wait for the miraculous first egg. We have made just about every peace offering one could think of, but nothing seems to work.

Wondering if temperatures make a difference as to when they start to lay? It is still cold up north here, below zero every night and getting around 10c in the day time. We lock them up in the coop at night with a heat lamp on.

This may or may not have anything to do with it, but I noticed from your pic that your roost bar for entry to the nesting boxes is out of PVC...kinda "slippery" isn't it? Maybe they don't like it??? Just thinkin' .... always a bad sign!!

 

[cackleberrycam]

Do they get enough calcium to create egg shells? At 19 weeks, they should start laying soon!

 

[roxyanddutches]

My Dutch bantam is about 8 months and hasn't started laying. Any reasons why this could be happening??

 

[cackleberrycam]

My Dutch bantam is about 8 months and hasn't started laying. Any reasons why this could be happening??

Well, their a lot of reasons:

• Does she get proper nutrition?
• Is she hiding her eggs from you?
• Is a pest stealing the eggs?
• Does she have a health problem?
• Is she getting 15 hours of light so that she can lay?
• Is she molting?

I hope this will help you!

 

[sepaditty1]

I have 3 bantam orpingtons all the same age. Pretty sure they hatched together. The 2 black ones started laying 3 months ago. Little Hershey, the chocolate one still hasn't laid. When she was only 2 or 3 months old she was sick & I treated her for worms & gave antibiotic so I wasn't surprised when she didn't start right when the others did. But now its just ridiculous. I think she's broken.

 

[sepaditty1]

We just got them, they are supposed to be 19 weeks. Not sure about the combs, will go have a look.

Maybe they aren't really 19 weeks. Maybe whoever you bought them from miscounted. Plus, stress from moving can cause a laying hen to quit for a while. Could it also mean that it can make a young hen start later? Who knows.