No eggs at 17 weeks

[KarynVA]

No. You have nothing to worry about.

Each bird is different, each breed is different. They aren't unhealthy because they don't lay perfectly on time.
I've had birds take as long as 8+ months.

I agree. It's definitely not an exact science and all chickens have their own puberty timeline, just like people do.

This article shows photos of chickens' wattles during a 3 week period just before laying, and has other useful info about when they may be ready to start laying:
https://homesteadandchill.com/when-chickens-start-laying-eggs/

 

[Flame80]

Ok drinkoj... challenge accepted!! I went out and gave my ladies a pep talk a few minutes ago. Told them this is a contest and they would be rewarded if they layed first!! I might throw them a whole ice cold watermellon! Who knows!

 

[drinkoj]

Ok drinkoj... challenge accepted!! I went out and gave my ladies a pep talk a few minutes ago. Told them this is a contest and they would be rewarded if they layed first!! I might throw them a whole ice cold watermellon! Who knows!

Any luck? Got 2 that's combs and waddles keep getting bigger and redder and are a little more vocal. Plus I had them watching after game football locker room Coach speak videos Saturday & Sunday, gotta get these girls motivated somehow.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

One egg today. On the ground in the 12 sq ft between the hen house and the gate to the run.

 

[Flame80]

Drinkoj, I have been talking to them every day and showing them pictures of nice big fat watermelons but no luck yet. ( My motivational speaker has been out of town)!! Like you 2 of my 6 are huge red combs and the rest are starting to come along!!

 

[drinkoj]

Flame80
This one has gotta pop one it soon. Guessing she’ll do it over the weekend when we are out of town LOL

 

[TheOddOneOut]

17 weeks is a bit early.

 

[Gonzalezfam]

20 weeks 5days my first leghorn egg 7 days later my other leghorn started to lay, give it time started squatting 5 days before they laid egg song 3 days before they laid, give it time, soon as they started I’ve gotten an egg everyday been bout month and a half now.

 

[Flame80]

Drinkoj, whiteleghorns 19 weeks today and NOTHING! I have 2 that look like yours and maybe even a little bigger combs and waddles, I have one more getting close. The other 3 are still running behind. If a horse usually will drop a fowl in nasty weather then maybe this tropical storm going over my head right now will help!! Hah! Good luck to you...but my girls still hope they win!

 

[Flame80]

UPDATE...Just came in from checking chickens and WE WIN!!! Found one egg in the middle of 3 nesting boxes I made. I left it in there to see if I could figure out which bird laid it. Also I took a picture of it beside a store bought Grade A Large egg and I would have to call it a medium. Don't believe it is a small. Remember I was raised on a egg farm of 1500 hens. I had to grade every one of those eggs. Hah! Drinkoj, you won't be far behind!! Now what did I do with that watermelon?? P>S> egg shell is very strong and a good "egg" shape!!