My 24-week old Buff Orpington's aren't laying????

[FarmerCorrie]

I have 6 24-week old hens that aren't laying yet. I also don't have nesting boxes for them yet(I will by the end of the week). Will they ever lay without nesting boxes?

 

[Angie8eggs]

Do you have anything that can temporarily be used as a nesting box, like a 5 gallon bucket filled with straw, or a planter? Place some easter eggs, a golf ball, or something that resembles an egg in there so they get familiar with the idea. Are they free ranging? They might have laid and you haven't found it. I have two 16 week buffs, I heard they typically don't start laying until 25 weeks. :/ Once you do get the nesting boxes up, introduce them to them, again with a fake egg, place the chickens in there, so they know! let me know when you get the first egg from them!

 

[galanie]

They'll lay when they get ready to lay and won't hold off just because there's no nest box. Orpingtons will make you really impatient when it comes to when they'll lay. It's not unusual for one to go to 26-28 weeks before laying and I've even had one that didn't lay till she was almost 11 months old. On the other hand, I've had one start at around 22 weeks.

 

[FarmerCorrie]

I do, in fact I'll work on that today. They live in a "hoop coop" chicken tractor, so I know they haven't layed yet. Thank y'all for your help, this is my first time with chickens so I have a lot of questions. Also, what time of year is best to hatch chicks, and what breeds are the best layers?

 

[galanie]

The best layers are the ones they call "sex links." These are hybrids that can be sexed at birth usually by their color. Most breeds though that you get at a hatchery are good layers, even sometimes breeds that are known to be bad layers. This being because they've been mixed with leghorns or the like to improve laying. It results in a bird that doesn't really look like that breed should, but for those that just want eggs, it's no big deal.

Most like to hatch in the spring. Reason for this is, a pullet that starts to lay in the fall will lay that whole first winter of her laying life. After that, she'll either stop or slow down laying in subsequent winters.

 

[FarmerCorrie]

Thank you so much!

 

[WellsPoopCoop]

Hello BYC! I am new to the world of chickens, and I have a similar issue. I have 19 hens and 1 roo. 4 are buffs and the others are red sex linked breeds and maybe red stars (I think). I am still trying to identify them based on the pics you post. The hens are 24 weeks old this week, and no eggs yet. My research of this site tells me I am covering all bases, but I am interested in your opinions. here goes: on laying feed 16% protein, oyster shell mixed in at the ratio suggested on the packaging, fresh water, scratch scattered, and occasional garden scraps - their favorite is cabbage leaves. I live in Wyoming and the summer has been hot, but they have ample shade and the coop is insulated, which kept it fairly cool during the day. Now temps in the 70's during the day and 40's at night. They have had >14 hours daylight, but that is shrinking so I am considering extra lighting in the coop. The coop has 8 nesting boxes, and I put golf balls in there about a month ago. Anything else I missed, or should I just dig up some old fashioned patience?

 

[galanie]

Patience. I'd use a higher protein feed than that but that's my preference. Many use the 16% and do fine.