Oldest hens havent started laying? (In warm climate)

[LilReddBurd]

Hey all! I had gotten my flock in some waves over the span of this past year. My eldest girls I got back in the beginning of May and they havent started laying yet. Just this week, my girls that I had gotten in July started laying.

I'm worried there may be something wrong with my older girls that I cant figure out yet. They are Speckled Sussex and New Hampshires. Acting and eating fine, look healthy, no breathing issues im noting either. Just a bunch of healthy ladies afaik. Are they just late bloomers or should I be worried? When should I start being worried?? Their diet right now is of layer feed and plant scraps from the kitchen, and whatever they can free range in the yard.

Thank you for any advice, I am a worried momma!

 

[aart]

Were they day old chicks when you got them?
If not, how old are they, in months?
What breeds?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
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[LilReddBurd]

Were they day old chicks when you got them?
If not, how old are they, in months?
What breeds?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3325555

Just updated friend!

Im from Florida and we've been pretty warm/hot still until recently

 

[aart]

Im from Florida and we've been pretty warm/hot still until recently

It's more about the shortening days than temps.

Were they day old chicks when you got them?
If not, how old are they, in months?
What breeds?

...and what about^^^^^???

 

[LaurenRitz]

Where are they on the pecking order?

@aart She updated the initial post that they are Speckled Sussex and New Hampshires, she got them in May, so about 7 months.

 

[SourRoses]

What breed are the second batch that have started laying? The same as the older girls?

The pituitary gland in chickens controls the hormones involved in ovulation (laying). The gland is influenced by light; interestingly, in chickens that occurs directly through the skin rather than only through the optical nerve. So even a blind chicken has her body controlled by the light.
Some breeds can lay in lower light levels. I imagine that has to do with genes influencing the pituitary gland. I could be wrong on the cause, but that's what I gather from assorted reading / somewhat related studies.

In Florida our light levels are already too low for many breeds to come in to lay. About 11 hours in my area. Chickens lay best around 14 hours or so of light per day.
We have quite a few breeds, the only ones laying are Leghorns, and every day at that.

Speckled Sussex are one of the many breeds that take a bit longer to mature. If memory serves me, about 6-7 months. If that didn't coincide with winter (of the sun, not the temp) they would be laying by now.
So, your choices are to wait for spring (of the sun, lol), or to add a few hours of supplementary lighting gradually in the evening and/or morning. Supplemental lighting works best if it's begun earlier in the season when pullets are still growing. Some patience would still be required, but it would encourage eggs to arrive sooner.

I'd also like to suggest you switch them back to a grower or all-flock feed. Layer has too much calcium for hens that aren't laying. That can lead to calcium buildup and a shorter lifespan. Those of us who feed grower or all-flock just provide calcium by way of Oyster Shell on the side and the hens choose for themselves how much to take.

 

[LilReddBurd]

What breed are the second batch that have started laying? The same as the older girls?

The pituitary gland in chickens controls the hormones involved in ovulation (laying). The gland is influenced by light; interestingly, in chickens that occurs directly through the skin rather than only through the optical nerve. So even a blind chicken has her body controlled by the light.
Some breeds can lay in lower light levels. I imagine that has to do with genes influencing the pituitary gland. I could be wrong on the cause, but that's what I gather from assorted reading / somewhat related studies.

In Florida our light levels are already too low for many breeds to come in to lay. About 11 hours in my area. Chickens lay best around 14 hours or so of light per day.
We have quite a few breeds, the only ones laying are Leghorns, and every day at that.

Speckled Sussex are one of the many breeds that take a bit longer to mature. If memory serves me, about 6-7 months. If that didn't coincide with winter (of the sun, not the temp) they would be laying by now.
So, your choices are to wait for spring (of the sun, lol), or to add a few hours of supplementary lighting gradually in the evening and/or morning. Supplemental lighting works best if it's begun earlier in the season when pullets are still growing. Some patience would still be required, but it would encourage eggs to arrive sooner.

I'd also like to suggest you switch them back to a grower or all-flock feed. Layer has too much calcium for hens that aren't laying. That can lead to calcium buildup and a shorter lifespan. Those of us who feed grower or all-flock just provide calcium by way of Oyster Shell on the side and the hens choose for themselves how much to take.

Hey! Thank you so much for this write up. Its given me some ease on why our girls havent started regularly laying. Since I posted this we've started getting about four eggs a day, and I am suspicious one of our New Hampshires are laying due to the size comparison of one egg to the other three, so if our speckled is being just a bit late to bloom, I think Im fine with waiting her out before getting anxious. Ill get a smaller bag of the grower feed for now and just keep an eye out since it seems we're getting second set of girlies to lay regularly now (i belive the fourth of the second set will start laying soon. All are showing some behaviors that make me believe theyre laying/the final one will start, im just waiting for the egg collection numbers to reflect this haha.)

Second batch of babies is made of a Rhodie Red, two Rhodie Golds, and a Black Maran (sp?). I think our Maran is laying regularly as well due to one egg being a very rich deep brown. I know for certain one of our golds is laying since she's the first one i saw pacing the nesting boxes and nestling in a spot. Cant quite say who's laying the fourth egg though. Its small like the two I know are coming from second round of chickies, and the third egg thats regular sized I am convinced is from one of our older gals given she's paced the boxes.

Just some fun fyi in this section, but our last round of bebes are two oliver eggers which should reach age in late Dec/early January, so we will have to see if light levels get them on track!

 

[LilReddBurd]

Where are they on the pecking order?

@aart She updated the initial post that they are Speckled Sussex and New Hampshires, she got them in May, so about 7 months.

I believe my Speckled girlie is the queen of the roost right now. Its quite funny considering she's also the sweetest of my birds towards my nephews.