newbie egg laying ?

[ctjim]

i have 4 buffs and they're approx 20-25 weeks old, i got them on june 13 according to the older gent i got them from they were about 13 weeks old then. they free range all day in the yard and go in at night about a week or so ago they started going into a brushy area, i keep checking there/all over to see if they've been laying yet but no eggs yet. i go to work all day so nobody is around to watch them if they lay. any suggestions on what to do? their combs/waddles are a dark red color. i also have some ee pullets which are a few weeks behind the buffs. they seem to hang closer to the coop while the buffs seem to always be on the move foraging, thats all they seem to do, esp when i cut the grass they love eating the crickets. thanks for any info jim.

 

[nccatnip]

I feel your pain. Mine are about the same age and nothing out of the buffs or redstars, and just a few from the bantams. I am beginning to wonder if they in the union.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

My chickens are 20 wks old. I only have 1 (maybe 2) out of the 15 that have started laying eggs and it hasn't been very regular yet. It's very frustrating! I'm ready for the eggs! My SLW that is laying is using the nest box, but layed her first one on the ground.
Maybe on the weekends you could leave them in the coop a little longer and show and put each one in the nest. Mine didn't want any part of being in their nest. I knew they were getting ready to lay, so each morning I would leave them in coop just a little longer and then put them in the nest box one at a time and it has seemed to show them where I want them to lay, but I've heard that chickens have a mind of their own and will lay wherever they feel like it. I guess I'm lucky in the respect that they don't want to sleep in them. I wasn't sure at first if I was encouraging bad habits. Did you put golf balls or ceramic eggs in your nest boxes? What kind of material are you using in your boxes?

 

[devora]

I gotta second the 'golf ball in the nesting box' suggestion. Ours are 19 wks and the first egg caught us off guard...so it was left on the floor of the coop. The next day we put in fake eggs (bought at the craft store) and so far that's where they go now to lay. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that one b/c ours free range all day as well!)

 

[ctjim]

i put golf balls in the nest boxes and have been rotating them to different nests every week or so. i have straw/hay in the nests and shavings for litter on the coop floor. when i go out in the morning to feed them most days they are either waiting for me on the roost at the edge of the nest box or they're waiting to be let out. they seem more content on getting out to ransack the garden (my cherry tomatoes are taking a beating) than stay around and lay eggs. they have managed to get over the fence for the garden somehow.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Are you feeding them some sort of layer feed with calcium along with the free ranging? Do they have access to enough water during the day? What has the weather been in your area? The heat seems to be delaying alot of hens everywhere. Have you searched the whole property for hidden eggs?

I know how frustrating it is to wait. Maybe the old gent that you got them from was wrong on their age?????? Hope they start laying soon. I'm still waiting for 13 of my hens to start laying.
Good Luck! I bet you'll be posted your first egg announcement soon. Everybody has been saying to have patience.

 

[ctjim]

i feed them layer feed everymorning, along w/ giving them fresh water which they can drink all day, i have a 3gal plastic waterer in the coop, which is open all day, when they free range. the weather here has been up and down w/ some very hot/humid days and then some days that are hot but not very humid. i guess i'll keep waiting/ watching hopefully soon we get some eggs.

 

[chickenranchwife]

Well guys and gals, I'm not sure why your girls are taking so long to lay. I have BO, BR, and Araucana and they've been laying since they were right at 17-18 weeks old. Now I am getting approx. 40 eggs a day. It's a good idea if they free range to look all over because they will lay anyway. The fake egg works great. I have 11 PR & 11 BSL that will start laying the end of the month. I don't feed anything special although I do give them wheat screenings from our elevator and oats left over from planting. I know I have found a few nests outside of the coop. I have been trying to keep them locked up in the morning but that hasn't really worked lately because I know they will be locked in most of the winter. Good Luck to all of you who haven't gotten any eggs yet, it will happen soon.

 

[gayle19]

My chicken.. don't know what kind it is.its black, was born around april 1st this year and I got the first egg 5 days ago, the first egg was white and hard but the following 3 eggs were paper thin..she step on one and smashed it and another fell from the hutch to the ground, whats wrong with them.. ? She is our pet (comes into our house and plays with dog) and shes very calm and cuddlely.. I feed her twice a day and she has plenty of water, whats up...? thanks for listening:/

 

[aran]

sounds like she needs more calcium...feed her oyster shell.
Our red sex link is our first to start laying...our birds are somewhere between 17 and 19 weeks now...( i cant remember exactly the date we got em). Anyways i have had the birds on layer ration and oyster shell now for the last 2-3 weeks and 7 days ago the RSL hen started laying and immediately was a one a day hen...i havent checked this morning yet because she doesnt lay until about 10am or thereabouts. Cant wait for the rest to get going. Our buff orps are only 13-15 weeks old now so they are a ways off yet. I am hoping though that i will get more than 1 egg/day before the winter hits i mean sheesh i have 20 layers!