No eggs.

[jessied1227]

Well, maybe I'm just being way too impatient here, but I've still got no eggs.

My girls are 20 weeks old, and free range through the day. They spend a lot of time in our berry patch back by the garden, and I think they might be laying back there in all those thorns. There really is NO way of getting in there to poke around.

I spent most of today updating the inside of the coop, I cleaned it out and layed a new floor, and I finished adding the nestboxes, complete with 2 new 50 lb. bags of pine and 2 nice little golf balls in each nest box.

Would leaving them in the coop for a couple days be harmful to them or stress them out too much? There's enough space for 24 chickens in there, and right now, I've only got 12 in coop. The next couple of days are supposed to be cooler, so I figured I'd toss it out to you all.

Any ideas?
Thanks-
Jess

 

[davecash]

id give them more time... i know it is hard.. but soon you'll be eating eggs like none youve ever eaten before.

 

[missusduray]

I dont think it would hurt to keep them in there for at least 24 hrs, just to see if they are laying yet. If they are then you know that they have been laying elsewhere and you will need to nest train them. Just my thoughts.
Kristyne

 

[jessied1227]

Thanks for the replies. They are all nice, big plump hens, and all have just recently developed these nice red combs, where they were all kind of rose/pink before.

I will leave them in for tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed for eggs.

Jess

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, I leave mine in for two days straight to make sure they are not laying elsewhere everyonce in a while. They wont be so happy but they will be fine. Mine rebel and knock over their water! 20 weeks is about when they start, but heavier breeds may wait till they are 25 weeks old before starting. Good luck and happy egg hunting!