No eggs!

[thu2train]

What am I doing wrong?? I have two Rhodes island reds, two barred rock, and two welsummers. I also have one barred rock rooster. They are roughly 6 months old and I can't wait any longer!! My husband says they will be dinner soon (he is joking, btw...I hope). They have a coop with three nesting boxes and a 12x12 run. They also have lots of time to free range the land. I am feeding them grower finisher (I think that is what it's called), and they have a supply of calcium to munch on as needed.

I hear some of them doing the "egg song" some mornings but still nothing.

I did see feathers in the run, it looked like they are from one of the barred rocks. Could it be molting?

Maybe I'm just too antsy and "a watched pot never boils" but any advice will help!!

Thanks fellow chicken lovers!!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and ! Pleased you joined our community! You said approximately 6 months. If it's only five and half months, that could make a big difference. Most chickens start laying sometime after 20 weeks but it can also be weeks later. You said they free ranged...any chance they are laying outside the coop somewhere? They can be sneaky. I suspect you're patience will be rewarded soon! In terms of the molting...young chickens usually molt in their second autumn. Best wishes and thanks for joining BYC!

 

[chelseajgoss]

Personally i would start feeding them layer feed. We did layer feed in mine and a week later started getting eggs.

6 months is about the age they start to lay. So maybe give it a couple weeks and you should get your eggs.
Also. I dont know what time you let them out to free range, but i wouldnt do it before 11. Mine lay eggs in the yard if i let them out too early. Found one hidden in the Tall grass

 

[thu2train]

Thanks for all the input!!

I let them out around 3pm and they roam until bedtime.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - great that you have joined us. Since they are in the run until 3pm, I would expect to see eggs in the coop or the run. I think that patience is the name of the game. My pullet went through the whole 9 yards of egg song, sitting in a nest, egg song, but nothing. The next day she managed. It sounds as if eggs are just around the corner though.

Best wishes
CT

 

[Cynthia12]

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CuzChickens]

Hello there and welcome to Backyard chickens! I can not speak for the Barred Rocks or Rhode Islands, but out of my 4 Welsummers, only one has started laying and they are about 30 weeks old. I would say you are doing everything right, you just need to give them a little bit more time. Good luck, I am sure you will be getting eggs soon!

 

[chelseajgoss]

If yoy ever want to add more chicks, i reccomend golden comets. Mine started laying at 4 months a regualr sized egg. Now are laying jumbo! (And someones laying a double yolk every week)

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!