No eggs from the Ameraucana :(

[klinderman]

Hi all!!

I recently acquired some pullets from a friend of mine who was in need of thinning her flock. I have 1 RIR, 2 California Greys, and 1 Ameraucana. They are all 22 weeks old and I seem to have only 2 egg layers in the bunch. I get 1 brown egg (whom I'm assuming is coming from the RIR), and 1 white egg (whom is coming from one of the cali's) The other two chickens have not laid any eggs yet. I read that the Ameraucana can be late to start laying...is this true? Should I be worried about the other cali or who isn't laying? They get plenty of fresh food and pellets as well as clean water everyday. The coop is a 4x4 structure with a nest box attached to one of the sides.

 

[Odelia]

I am at week 25-26 with my Ameraucana and still no eggs. It isn't just yours they start a little late. I would not worry quite yet.

 

[klinderman]

Ok I'll hold in there! I was hoping what I heard was right! I just can't wait to witness these blue eggs shes supposed to lay

 

[Messipaw]

My Americana is a good later now. When I say good i mean "every other day" when the days are long with sun light. She always is the first one to stop laying. She also won't lay if it's raining. Who knows. I tried red pepper flakes in her food - the next day she gave me an egg. Then held out for four days. I love her but she is the most spazyiest egg layer ever.
She will lay soon don't worry.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve had various pullets start laying at 16 weeks. I’ve had some start at 9 months. These are not Ameraucanas but just standard dual purpose chickens. They lay when they lay. They are all individuals.

A few times I’ve gotten hatchery dual purpose chickens. If I have ten pullets, I normally get the first egg by around 18 to 20 weeks. By 22 or 23 weeks, maybe half of them are laying. Normally they are all laying before 7 months.

Some are just slower than others. You really don’t have enough for averages to mean much, but if you are getting 2 eggs out of 4 pullets, you are at or ahead of the curve. Congratulations on doing a little better than average so far.

 

[klinderman]

Thanks for the responses! I feel more comfortable about it now..as you can obviously tell I'm new to chicken ownership. Though I have read till my eyes bleed on chickens I know there is just so much more that is only taught through experience, so this forum definitely helps! I found out today that my other Cali started laying so now there was 3 eggs!

 

[Odelia]

Has your Ameraucana started laying yet? My two started laying last week.

Though after all of that waiting one of them is laying an ugly brown egg.

That isn't to say all brown eggs are ugly, but her are! They have crusty pimply shells. They seem to be getting better as she goes along. Though they will never be the lovely green egg my other one lays. Oh well...that will make it easier choosing who to let go of to make room for the Cream Legbars or Blue Isbars coming later this spring.

 

[klinderman]

Unfortunately maybe 3 days after creating this thread my Ameraucana succumbed to being pecked to death! She was one of the lower ranking chickens, and I believe it was caused by boredom and over crowding. With all this snow we were unable to build them their large outdoor pen, so we had 4 chickens cooped up in a 4x4 space. Since that incident happened the snow has melted and we are now able to let the remaining 3 hens free range a bit. They all seem much happier, but its sad that the bird who was killed was my only blue egg layer! This is my first time raising chickens so it was one of those hard lessons learned. None the less she did not go to waste and we were able to enjoy her at dinner.