No eggs until 9 months!

[The Mama Chicken]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place.
I got 30 Buff Orpington pullets from a hatchery last spring and not one of them layed an egg before they were 9 months old! They are finally laying, but I'm pretty unimpressed with the number of eggs I'm getting. Is this normal for the breed? Is it because they're hatchery stock? Could it have been the unusually hot summer we had here in central TX? I also have 8 Easter Eggers and they were laying at 16 weeks and layed right through the worst heat. They all had the exact same diet so I don't think that was the problem. They free range on our 10 acres (tons of grasshoppers!) and get lots of kitchen scraps along with layer pellets.

 

[kari_dawn]

I think it has a lot to do with the heat we had last year. My girls definately slowed down in the heat...it may also be the hatchery stock you got...I have noticed alot of variance in quality from order to order...my last set of buffs were all scrawny, monsterous birds that hated people and screamed bloody murder any time you got your hands on them...all the other buffs I have had have been super sweet and great layers, even great broodies.

I think it is a combination of the heat of the last year, and the shortened days we are experiencing now...are you sure you don't have any hidden nests anywhere? How many eggs are you getting?

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Well, I'm not using lights and I've had a major problem with foxes, owls, hawks and dogs in the last 2 months so I'm down to just 15 buffs (still 8 EEs though, they're either faster or smarter than the buffs) and I'm getting 2 or 3 brown eggs a day (5 blue eggs a day.) I've looked everywhere for nests and even confined them to their 30'x60' run for a week to see if that was the problem but still no more than 3 brown eggs a day. I'm frustrated to the point that I'm considering eating the buffs and getting more EEs this spring.

 

[kari_dawn]

What hatchery did you get them from, and what month did they get to you? My birds are just now 8 months old, and I finally have my first one laying....Im not trying to insult you, but are you sure they are all hens? Do you know if they are eatting their eggs?

Honestly, I waited till too late in the year to get mine, and I really did not expect to be seeing eggs till spring when the days get longer again...and as I understand it, the sooner they start laying, the quicker they burn out. In your position, I would hang on to the birds through spring, and see if anything changes. My BLRW looked absolutely ready to start laying for a full month before I got her first egg out of her (well, I think it's her egg), and she is still the only one laying

I wouldn't give up on your buffs just yet

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I got them from Ideal last January and I'm positive they're all hens. I did have 1 roo in the bunch but he kept attacking my 3 year old so he got sold. I don't think they're eating their eggs, I check the nest boxes at least 3 times a day and haven't seen any trace of broken egg in them. I'm just at a loss...

 

[kari_dawn]

...I know one BYCer went to close up the coop for the night and found a massive opossum stealing eggs out of her nest box...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=615302

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I guess that's possible. I have my hubby shoot every possum he sees (I am terrified of them!!) and the dog kills and eats them too but maybe one found it's way in. I'll check my fence for access points tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.