Should these ladies be laying?

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boersmamrs

boersmamrs

Chirping
5 Years
Sep 25, 2014
201
6
63
400
. Hi there, new to the forum. I bought these girls from a local farmer and she said they should start laying about a month after I bought them. It's been over a month now, no eggs. Was the farmer wrong or am I doing something wrong. They have started layer feed and I give them treats but not too many. They are free range but our yard is small enough
that I would find the eggs if they were laying them somewhere other than their nesting boxes.
 
boersmamrs said:
. Hi there, new to the forum. I bought these girls from a local farmer and she said they should start laying about a month after I bought them. It's been over a month now, no eggs. Was the farmer wrong or am I doing something wrong. They have started layer feed and I give them treats but not too many. They are free range but our yard is small enough
that I would find the eggs if they were laying them somewhere other than their nesting boxes.
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You should not be feeding "layer feed" until they begin laying. Keep them on their chick starter for now. Are your girls doing the "submissive squat" for you yet? When they do that is a telltale sign they are very very close.
 
Do you know what breed/age they are? Some breeds take longer to lay than others. Are they displaying any signs of approaching "point of lay, such as big, redder combs and wattles, squatting if you touch their backs? It is really impossible to make them out from the photo - too dark and not sharp enough to pick up any features. Is it possible to get some clear, closeup photos of their head, showing comb. and side view standing up?
 
sometimes predators may get to the eggs and not leave a trace, like snakes that will swallow them whole, raccoons, and rodents etc. are also fond of eggs. Sometimes a hen will make a nest in thick brush and you may not see it. But with 4-5 hens, I don't think all the eggs would disappear.
 
The guy at the local feed store told me that they were old enough to start the layer feed, hmm.
400
this is the best I could find for now. Could take better ones tomorrow. When I pet them they lay down...
 
I don't know their exact age... We didnt raise them from chicks, they are Australorps
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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They do look like they should be laying. So I would keep them on layer feed. If they are squatting, "laying down" when you pet them, then they are near or are laying. Something may be eating these eggs...squirrels, birds, dogs, the chickens themselves. Make sure to offer up oyster shell on the side for more calcium. If they are lacking in calcium, they will eat the eggs. Make sure your feed is fresh each day. Don't leave it out all night either. If it goes bad, they won't eat it. So only put out what they will eat in one day and replenish it the next day.

You might lock them up in the coop in the morning to see if they are laying or not.

Good luck and I hope you start to get some eggs soon!
 
I didn't know about the oyster shell, thank you. Everything I read makes me think they are laying eggs and I just can't find them or something is eating them. They do the "egg song" or so I have heard it called.. they are LOUD bock, bock, BUHKA! haha. I have tried leaving them in the Coop in the morning but nothing..
 
I am wondering now if they are eating them.. it looks like they have been in one of the nesting boxes..
 
Well now, lets get some more pictures including the heads and tails of the same birds. I'm seeing rooster tails.......
 

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