None of my pullets is laying

[thecreekhouse]

I have a young flock of backyard chickens, including one large Cochin, one Olive Egger (Black Copper Marans x Ameracauna), one Ameracauna and one Silkie. They are all between 6-10 months old and not one of them has laid a single egg yet. I have a good coop with four nesting boxes. They have full time access to Purena layer feed and they also have plenty of fresh grass. Additionally, I give them treats several times a week of kitchen scraps or black sunflower seeds.

Can anyone think of any reason why pullets this age aren’t laying? Is there something more I can do to encourage them? The only possible thing I can think of is that maybe their nest boxes aren’t big enough. I’ve included a photo. What do you think? Also, I’ve just added two 18 week old sex-links to my flock and I’m hoping that if they start laying at 22-26 weeks, as Sex-links generally do, that this may encourage my other hens to start laying.

 

[Ribh]

You are still in winter. Your hens need 14 hours of daylight to produce an egg. As your days get longer & warmer your pullets should come onto the lay. Bear in mind 6 months is an average. Each hen is an individual, with the bigger heavier breeds generally being slower to mature. Also Silkies aren't noted for their egg laying.

 

[LaurelAvenue]

You are still in winter. Your hens need 14 ours of daylight to produce an egg. As your days get longer & warmer your pullets should come onto the lay. Bear in mind 6 months is an average. Each hen is an individual, with the bigger heavier breeds generally being slower to mature. Also Silkies aren't noted for their egg laying.

We definitely aren’t having 14 hours of daylight at the moment and I don’t have a light in the coop. Maybe I’m just being impatient and I just need to wait for spring before I expect any eggs.

As for Silkies, I can’t wait to see mine’s tiny eggs when I eventually get any ;-)

 

[Ribh]

We definitely aren’t having 14 hours of daylight at the moment and I don’t have a light in the coop. Maybe I’m just being impatient and just need to wait for spring before I expect any eggs.

Be patient. Once your daylight hours lengthen your girls will lay. One morning you will hear *The Egg Song* & there will be a lovely warm surprise in the nesting box!

 

[Ms Clucky]

I had a Blue Silkie and it took her pretty long to lay, but once she did, she wanted to set. Other hens wouldn't let her so we put some in the incubator. We had to get rid of her rooster, and she wouldn't eat and starved herself. I think she was sad. I miss her. She was very sweet. She would wait around until I came in the coop to put her up on the roost. She sounded like a turkey. Sorry for rambling on, some of my chickens lay on the ground, so it shouldn't be that the nests are to small.

 

[PirateGirl]

Good news, while frustrating, it's normal, and they could lay any day. Once their combs and wattles are big and red they are close! I just got my first "spring" egg from one my my girls 3 days ago after a long winter break; I'm hoping the others will take a hint.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Your nests are fine. Cochins and silkies aren't particularly prolific. Ameraucanas/EEs may or may not be.
As others have noted, short days (regardless of temperature) will not contribute to ovulation. As day length increases vs. hours of darkness, stimulation of production increases.
It does NOT require 14 hours of light to get eggs. If that were true, those with chickens near the equator would never get eggs because they never get 14 hours of light. Yet they get eggs year round.
Daily light period is about 50 minutes longer now at our latitude than it was at winter solstice. If you had more productive breeds, I could assure that eggs would be forthcoming soon.
You can check the space between the pointy pelvic bones to see if laying is imminent. 2 finger width or more, they are in your future. Less than that, you have more time to wait.

 

[aart]

Can anyone think of any reason why pullets this age aren’t laying? Is there something more I can do to encourage them? The only possible thing I can think of is that maybe their nest boxes aren’t big enough. I’ve included a photo. What do you think? Also, I’ve just added two 18 week old sex-links to my flock and I’m hoping that if they start laying at 22-26 weeks, as Sex-links generally do, that this may encourage my other hens to start laying.

What all and how exactly are you feeding them?

Nothing wrong with your nests, and 'bad' nests would not to stop a bird who is ready to lay from laying anyway.

Adding new birds causes stress and that can interfere with laying.
Sexlinks are more likely to start laying at the early end of the average range of 18-28 weeks....unless moving stress creates a delay.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...

... and 'bad' nests would not to stop a bird who is ready to lay from laying anyway.

.......

so true.
When stimulus of ovulation happens, eggs will happen whether there is a nest or not.

 

[imnukensc]

I don't know why you haven't gotten eggs yet. Some chickens are "late bloomers" and some just aren't good layers to begin with depending on breed. Seems like you're doing everything that needs to be done. Hopefully, you'll have eggs soon.

I don't know where the myth comes from that chickens need 14 hours of daylight to lay eggs. All of my pullets that start laying in the fall lay all through the winter. Even adult hens in their second winter lay. I have barred rocks so they're known to be good layers.