STILL NO EGGS...

[Bettyboop7499]

Hello BYC members,

I'm starting to panic and I don't know what to do! My hens are approximately 20wks old and I still haven't food one egg. I have five Barred Rocks, and two OEGBs, all but one OEGB have red combs and wattles, some apprear waxy some not so much, I'm not quite sure what their vents are suppose to look like other than moist and I think they are‍-is it completely obvious or do you have to KNOW what it looks like? I have not noticed any changes in the hens behaviors, like squatting. One of my OEGBs has recently started lifting her wings when I pick her up...My chickens will come to me but they don't like to be picked up. My little Silver Duckwing OEGB (the one that lifts her wings) is the only one that will let me pick her up. I do free range my chickens, they come to the coup around 9:30 in the evening and they are locked up until 6AM. They forge throughout the day and hang out in the trees for shade on these hot summer days. I've looked everywhere they hang out, I can see where they are laying down but have found no signs of eggs. Do I just need to be more patient or should I lock them up in the coop to see if they are laying? Thanks everyone!

 

[New2Chicks97]

I found out the hard way chickens are sneaky little beasts. The minute I would find their free range nests and take the eggs they would start laying somewhere else. So now they are on lockdown in the bigger run until they lay their eggs then they can go free range. So yours may well have a hidden spot somewhere. Mine have had many hidden spots and some were only found because I watched where they went.

 

[Trina0889]

My chickens are 22weeks and just starting to lay, don't panic yet!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Have any of their combs gotten larger and turned bright red yet? They may just not be ready to lay yet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

At 20 weeks there is no guarantee that any of yours will be laying yet. Some of them do start that young, but a lot don't. Patience may be your friend in this. I had some one year that did not start until they were nine months. I would not wish that n anyone.

Still, as long as you have room, there is nothing wrong with locking them up all day and night in the coop or coop/run to see if you get an egg. While most do tend to lay in the coop, some don't. Some will hide a nest on you.

Another possibility is that something is eating the eggs. It is not likely but possible. If you lock them up and start getting eggs, you have either kept them from hiding a nest or you have locked something out that is eating them.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Have any of their combs gotten larger and turned bright red yet? They may just not be ready to lay yet.

There is at least one that I thought for sure would be laying any day-her comb is bright red, large, and waxy looking, and I checked her vent last week..it was a little moist maybe-I'm not sure what they should look like. There are lots of articles but no pictures-Maybe if I can get a picture someone can tell me yay or nay-

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Have you tried this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I found out the hard way chickens are sneaky little beasts. The minute I would find their free range nests and take the eggs they would start laying somewhere else. So now they are on lockdown in the bigger run until they lay their eggs then they can go free range. So yours may well have a hidden spot somewhere. Mine have had many hidden spots and some were only found because I watched where they went.

My issue is that my run is not covered-so they just fly out..list of things I did not know about chickens is getting longer

 

[PirateGirl]

It's ok. They will all lay in time. Last year I hosted a contest for the duds with all the chickens that were over 6 months old and still not laying. There were a lot of chickens involved in this My last chicken to lay was 11 months old and she had been a March or April hatch. Your girl lifting her wings will probably be first. This is the squat you are looking for, they crouch down and hold their wings out to the side. I have one that sometimes flaps when she does it as well. Often birds become easier to handle at this point too and you will start to see changes in personality as well as pecking order. Hopefully you have some eggs soon! Sounds like you have a few getting real close.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of different clues that they might be laying now or that they soon will be. But those are only clues, not definite. Comb color, vent being soft, spending time in the nests especially when scratching, squatting, distance between pelvic bones, just all kinds of clues. But those can be false too. The only way to know for sure is to see an egg.

You will never stop learning about chickens. They can be more fun than anything on cable, antenna, or satellite but they can be frustrating too. Can you post a photo of your run? We may be able to come up with an easy way to stop them form flying out.