RIR Chicken Laying Question

[Barn Yarn Chicken]

Hi everyone! I am new to BYC website, but not new to owning chickens. I have owned chickens for a little over a year now. And decided that I was going to raise some chicks. I got my RIR chicks in March.
So here is my question. My chickens are over 7 mos old and still haven't showed any signs of laying or laying. Should I be worried? And if not, what should I do to get them laying?

They are free ranged and get fed a organic diet too.

Thanks in advance!!

•Barn Yarn Chicken•

 

[sylviethecochin]

Your chickens and mine must have the same problem. Nine leghorn pullets. Nine! Thirty-one weeks old! And have I seen a single, solitary white egg in my coop?

Someone should start a thread where people can commiserate over free-loading pullets.


More seriously, a lot of pullets start laying late, especially if they mature when the days are getting shorter, and/or if they're free-ranging and eating grass. Grain starts pullets laying a lot sooner (in my personal experience. It takes a lot of energy to get those production systems running) Unless they're sick (mites, vitamin deficiencies, worms) don't worry about it.

If you really want eggs now, then you might try locking them in the coop with nothing but free-choice grain and leaving a light on at all hours of the night. Our older hens are laying, so there's no rush for us, but if you do decide to go this route, tell us(BYC) how it goes.

 

[CSAchook]

QUOTE:
Someone should start a thread where people can commiserate over free-loading pullets.

They did and it is amazing!!!!!!! You should check it out!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/im-never-gonna-get-an-egg.1201515/

 

[TexasSam]

RIR and leghorns are high production birds and once they start they will lay 6 days a week. Do you have oyster shell or granite for them to use. Also if you are completely organic then you might want to put some animal protein in there diet. Mealworms, boiled eggs with the shell and crushed, and dried fish are great for them.

 

[chickens really]

Yep, Hybrids and certain laying Hens require 18% Protein in their diet...I feed Grower and oyster shell in a separate bowl....
Best wishes...Also I only give snacks once a week and give limited free range time daily...

 

[Frazzemrat1]

as you said your birds are free ranging, I'd start looking under your bushes and around where they hang out. It seems to me that you may have a nest hiding somewhere. If that's the case, I'd lock everybody up in the coop/run for a week or more, once they figure out where you want them to lay.

 

[Barn Yarn Chicken]

Your chickens and mine must have the same problem. Nine leghorn pullets. Nine! Thirty-one weeks old! And have I seen a single, solitary white egg in my coop?

Someone should start a thread where people can commiserate over free-loading pullets.


More seriously, a lot of pullets start laying late, especially if they mature when the days are getting shorter, and/or if they're free-ranging and eating grass. Grain starts pullets laying a lot sooner (in my personal experience. It takes a lot of energy to get those production systems running) Unless they're sick (mites, vitamin deficiencies, worms) don't worry about it.

If you really want eggs now, then you might try locking them in the coop with nothing but free-choice grain and leaving a light on at all hours of the night. Our older hens are laying, so there's no rush for us, but if you do decide to go this route, tell us(BYC) how it goes.

Oh! Wow! Right now I have two Gold Laced Wyandottes that lay 2-3 eggs daily. So Im not in a rush. But I might try that. I have been giving them a little bit of laying feed in with their feed. And I'm going to buy some oyster shell to give them! Okay thank you!

 

[TexasSam]

Your chickens and mine must have the same problem. Nine leghorn pullets. Nine! Thirty-one weeks old! And have I seen a single, solitary white egg in my coop?

Someone should start a thread where people can commiserate over free-loading pullets.


More seriously, a lot of pullets start laying late, especially if they mature when the days are getting shorter, and/or if they're free-ranging and eating grass. Grain starts pullets laying a lot sooner (in my personal experience. It takes a lot of energy to get those production systems running) Unless they're sick (mites, vitamin deficiencies, worms) don't worry about it.

If you really want eggs now, then you might try locking them in the coop with nothing but free-choice grain and leaving a light on at all hours of the night. Our older hens are laying, so there's no rush for us, but if you do decide to go this route, tell us(BYC) how it goes.

I'm willing to bet you have eggs hidden somewhere

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'm willing to bet you have eggs hidden somewhere

After searching the top of the barn, the corn shed, the silos, the woods behind the shed, the shed, the piled insulation in the shed, the milk house, and the bottom and sides of the barn, and under the chicken coop over the weekend--no. I am quite positive that I have no eggs. I found other hens' nests, RIR by egg color, but no whites that were not bantam.

 

[aart]

After searching the top of the barn, the corn shed, the silos, the woods behind the shed, the shed, the piled insulation in the shed, the milk house, and the bottom and sides of the barn, and under the chicken coop over the weekend

Searching can be futile....lock em up.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.