STILL no eggs! 16 girls 22-25 weeks

[EllieandOlive]

To start, I've raised hundreds of birds over the years, all different breeds. I know it can take longer for many breeds to lay, but I've never had so many with not a single one laying by this stage. I am a bit at a loss over my current newer batch of pullets this year though! Just so excited, lol!

I have about 15 different pullets that I've either hatched myself or gotten from rural king (hoovers) early this spring. Not a single one has layed yet (except a couple I'll mention later) They have a coop and run, so nowhere to hide eggs and I check very thoroughly sometimes twice a day for fragments in case they ate any single eggs. I've moved them all to layer feed but have been adding a bit of starter as a boost.

Breeds and ages and wattles are:
BLRW- 25 weeks ( pink, small growth)
Polish 24 weeks (large, red, looks very close)
Cornish bantam 24 weeks (pink, tiny)
Cochin bantam 24 w ( large, dark pink, looks close)
Chocolate orp 24 w (pink and small)
Bluebell egger 24 weeks (light pink, tiny)
2 olive eggers (orp cross) 23 weeks (one is light red and larger, Other is small and pink still)
Welsummer 23 weeks (medium pink)
BLGW 23 weeks (Medium pink)
Silver cochin 22 weeks (medium, pink)
3 brahmas 22 weeks (small/ medium and all pink)
Turken 22 weeks (small light pink)
Polish 22 weeks (small light pink)

A couple with the larger and darker wattles are on the cusp of laying I'm sure in the next couple weeks. I've just never had such a late blooming batch! I think 24 weeks is the longest any of my birds before have ever taken. And most were 20-22.

Now a funny thing is I have a coop/run
Along side this one that has my showgirls and silkies. And they all started laying super early. By 24 weeks! Very unexpected but all 5 girls have been laying since then.

Anyways, I know the answer is to be patient. But I'm just bummed they are all late bloomers. I thought I'd have a couple that were early or average.
Based off the wattles of most, they are many weeks away from laying. A couple I've been expecting any day.
Their coop is on the small side (working on a second but its half done) but their run is very large, about 600 sqft.
Weather is nice and warm here in south Kentucky.

 

[EllieandOlive]

Bump!
Anything I'm doing wrong besides being impatient?

 

[aart]

Anything I'm doing wrong besides being impatient?

I don't think so.

 

[arubio92]

any update on your girls? Mine look like the black one on your post and she is around 20 weeks too getting discouraged as well

 

[luv4hart]

Bump!
Anything I'm doing wrong besides being impatient?

It’s been so hot where I’m at I noticed my RIR didn’t start laying until she was 22 weeks and 2 of my 3 d’unccles just started at 24 weeks.

 

[EllieandOlive]

It’s been so hot where I’m at I noticed my RIR didn’t start laying until she was 22 weeks and 2 of my 3 d’unccles just started at 24 weeks.

Heat here wasn't the issue, they are just taking forever. It's only im the 80s and a few hotter days here and there. Only a handful have started to lay and they are creeping up on 30 weeks! I've got 16 and am getting 2-3 eggs a day from them combined.

 

[heatherbell2]

What are you feeding them? They might need more protein.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Check what feed you are giving them. I heard the Producer's Pride stuff from Tractor's Supply is not good and hens who are on the feed don't lay much at all.
I feed my chickens Kalmbach feeds and they love it and they pop eggs out like NUTS! @heatherbell2 is right, they probably need more protein. Try giving them mealworms and other insects. Another great high-protein snack for them is crushed eggshells. Just crush up eggshells from store-bought eggs and spread em' out on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven at 350 F for 5-10 mins. There are lots of recipes online. This will act like chicken grit and will give them extra protein. Also perhaps they are stressed? Try adding different boredom busters into the run or coop, or try free-range them more often.
Hope this helps!

 

[McChooky]

To start, I've raised hundreds of birds over the years, all different breeds. I know it can take longer for many breeds to lay, but I've never had so many with not a single one laying by this stage. I am a bit at a loss over my current newer batch of pullets this year though! Just so excited, lol!

I have about 15 different pullets that I've either hatched myself or gotten from rural king (hoovers) early this spring. Not a single one has layed yet (except a couple I'll mention later) They have a coop and run, so nowhere to hide eggs and I check very thoroughly sometimes twice a day for fragments in case they ate any single eggs. I've moved them all to layer feed but have been adding a bit of starter as a boost.

Breeds and ages and wattles are:
BLRW- 25 weeks ( pink, small growth)
Polish 24 weeks (large, red, looks very close)
Cornish bantam 24 weeks (pink, tiny)
Cochin bantam 24 w ( large, dark pink, looks close)
Chocolate orp 24 w (pink and small)
Bluebell egger 24 weeks (light pink, tiny)
2 olive eggers (orp cross) 23 weeks (one is light red and larger, Other is small and pink still)
Welsummer 23 weeks (medium pink)
BLGW 23 weeks (Medium pink)
Silver cochin 22 weeks (medium, pink)
3 brahmas 22 weeks (small/ medium and all pink)
Turken 22 weeks (small light pink)
Polish 22 weeks (small light pink)

A couple with the larger and darker wattles are on the cusp of laying I'm sure in the next couple weeks. I've just never had such a late blooming batch! I think 24 weeks is the longest any of my birds before have ever taken. And most were 20-22.

Now a funny thing is I have a coop/run
Along side this one that has my showgirls and silkies. And they all started laying super early. By 24 weeks! Very unexpected but all 5 girls have been laying since then.

Anyways, I know the answer is to be patient. But I'm just bummed they are all late bloomers. I thought I'd have a couple that were early or average.
Based off the wattles of most, they are many weeks away from laying. A couple I've been expecting any day.
Their coop is on the small side (working on a second but its half done) but their run is very large, about 600 sqft.
Weather is nice and warm here in south Kentucky.

Being overcrowded can cause stress. Its very important they are let out early every morning

 

[EllieandOlive]

Being overcrowded can cause stress. Its very important they are let out early every morning

Thankfully I was able to get everything straightened away with their coops shortly after this post. I also switched to a local made higher quality feed and most of the suddenly started laying all the week that I switched. Pretty wild!
Their coop was 100ft sq, so not tiny but not huge for the amount of birds in there at the time of this post.

They have dawn to dusk outdoor access and I now have 6 coops instead of one or two