My chickens STILL haven’t started laying

[Dr Evy]

I know it’s kind of just a waiting game, but my impatience has been growing every day. I have six chickens. Four black Australorps and two black Australorp/RIR mixes. I hatched out Bean and Rosie on April 6th of this year, that’s makes them 30 weeks old today. I hatched the other four out a month later on May 3rd, making them 26 weeks. My best girl Rosie started laying 2 months ago, and she’s been laying consistently but I have gotten absolutely nothing from the others. I understand that it’s getting colder (who am I kidding, I’m in Minnesota it’s freezing), but even when it wasn’t cold, nothing. I was thinking maybe something with diet, but I’m not sure. I did switch them over to layer feed a while ago, which I know is controversial. I just wanted to make sure Rosie was getting enough calcium. It’s Layena layer pellets. I also give them fresh vegetables every day, and they have plenty of grit (and oyster shells for Rosie) in their run. They are the epitome of healthy birds. So I’m just not understanding why they haven’t started laying. If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions let me know.
Here’s a picture of my beautiful Rosie

 

[wrathsfarm]

They might hold out til spring. It could go either way.

 

[Perris]

some just take longer to get started than others; some breeds are notorious for it (Brahmas I think are very slow). My worst to date was 11 months! It's probably better for their systems not to start too young, so there's an upside to allay your frustration
Here's the offender, photo taken June 2023; hatched March 2018, first egg Jan 2019. Still laying well this year Feb-July, then went broody, then moulting. Now looking fabulous again, and I expect her to resume laying after Christmas.

 

[kengboss21]

if you want them to lay before spring, you can add lighting so they get 14+ total hours of light per day. This is factoring if they’re ready to lay, if they’re not ready then no amount of light will make them lay of course

 

[K0k0shka]

It's not the cold, it's the shrinking amount of daylight that affects laying. If they haven't started yet by the time days start really shrinking, they may wait until spring. I've had April pullets start before winter and lay all the way through, but I've also had April pullets just barely miss the cutoff point and wait until spring.

Whether you provide artificial lighting or not is controversial and a personal choice. I'm not desperate for eggs, so I allow my chickens' bodies to decide when they lay and when they rest.