new white leghorns not laying yet

[blueseal]

they just turned 20 weeks old . with winter coming and I don't add light. might not see a egg for awhile.

 

[sumi]

"New" white leghorns? Did you just get them? In that case they'll wait at least until they've settled in and feels comfortable with their new surroundings before laying. I had some leghorns in Ireland, one white, two brown and two silver, in mid-winter when we had less than 10 hours of light per day, they laid like it was mid-summer. Love those birds.

 

[sbhkma]

at 20 weeks they simply may not be ready to lay yet.

 

[blueseal]

I got them as week old chicks back in july. the are almost 5 months old been in the same coop all along. have had a couple different flocks of white leghorns the last 5 years and they all started laying at 18-20 weeks old. im thinking its the shorter days holding them off. when they get laying they will be cranking them eggs out cant beat them for egg laying. they are machines.

 

[Hemedinger]

Had a relative experience, but I tried a trick to make the hens believe I was Papa! It worked....funny to say.
First off...12-14 hours of light is necessary, better a Red or other color bulb works best when it is dark out and they go to roost. Now what I did in the morning when I greeted my Gals, was to hover over one at a time and they squatted down as if readying for a Roo to jump on. As the squatted, and put their hind end up, I squeezed gently on both sides of the butt in a massaging motion for approximately 30 seconds. It seemed to energize them and they became laying machines thereafter.

Note: The only problem I had, was everywhere I walk, my free range hens follow me and want their daily massage. Too funny!