Six months hens haven't laid yet! Plz help!

[HartzlerHappyHens]

Hi guys! I am new to backyard chicken farming. We have five hens, two Rhoude Island Red and two Barred Rocks. We also have one Black Australorp Rooster (who we bought as a barred rock female chick, but turned out to be very different then what we expected) she was in the nursery with all the barred rock female chicks and I just grabbed three out and two out of the Rhode island female nursery, so we were shocked to find out she was not only a different bread then are understand I understand but also a male! Crazy right??? But he has always been my favorite so I really don't care!
Anyways I'm really here to ask if it is normal for six month old hens to not laid their first egg??? Not one egg, from any of them!
We have raised them from one week old. They have a huge coop that we converted from our garden/took shed. They have an enormous run that is available for them 24/7 and they free range in out huge yard all the time. We feed them chicken food and grit and they have constant access to it as well as fruit, veggies, and left overs all the time.
I read they should be laying eggs around four to four and a half months. We have put so much time and money into this, and we are getting impatient. We love them but we need to know if this is normal or if there is something we could do?
P.s. we out fake eggs in there neat boxes and it has not influenced any laying.
Thanks so much!!!!!!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

This is obviously YOUR FAULT, you should have had the talk with them long ago... Tell them its either eggs or meat, the rent is due....

You gotta let them know the ground rules....

Lol

Good luck

Gary

 

[Chickassan]

Yeah you're spoiling those moochers! I got to admit that's pretty weird, they don't have a hide out spot they could be laying in do they? Or have you noticed any morbidity obese snakes in the neighborhood?

 

[Parront]

Days are getting shorter, put some light on them so that the days are long for them. After the summer solstice, day length is shorter every day. Just as they got old enough to lay an egg days started to get shorter. Start your light timer at 4 am, and see if that helps!

 

[Nupe]

My money goes on the hiding spot out in the yard. Look for cool shady spots and tight nooks. Have you tried confining them to the coop/run for a few days?

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

Hens generally lay at around 7 months. My girls started to lay at 10 months, tho. It's perfectly normal. Just give em some time! Best of luck!!

 

[Leighe]

P.s. we out fake eggs in there neat boxes and it has not influenced any laying.
Thanks so much!!!!!!

Yeah, I read about fake eggs and golf balls...did both and my hens kick them out of the nest and onto the floor. Everytime I walked into the big pen to go to their coop, it was like walking into a playroom!. Final straw was when my brother brought back a brown fake egg and asked for some of his money back. No more fake eggs or golf balls.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

CHICKENS DONT LAY AT 4 MONTHS!!!!

 

[Leighe]

Btw, a lot of first time hens don't even begin laying until 6 months. Not sure the time frame on your particular breeds, but most of my hens have started at 6 months or later.

 

[Parront]

Sex-links and Leghorns lay at young ages, egg bred birds are becoming adults at this age. Decreasing day length could cause them to not lay.