Still no eggs

[Hopeful homesteader]

The girls are just over 6 months old and still no eggs. At this point should I assume they wont lay until after January?

 

[MysteryChicken]

They may begin while it's winter, or wait until the spring. So far my pullets began laying recently.

 

[WIchickMama]

Ugh, waiting is so hard. Some might start, some might not or they all might wait. It really all depends on the breed and the ultimately the chicken. Right now out of 7 under 1 yr old ladies, I average 3 eggs a day. 2 of mine (Polish breed) completely stopped about 1.5 months ago and I suspect won't start again until it is warm.

 

[aart]

The girls are just over 6 months old and still no eggs. At this point should I assume they wont lay until after January?

Impossible to predict.
Days are short, it's the amount of light that triggers laying.
Does your coop have lots of windows for light?

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

I assume you live in the northern hemisphere?
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

Impossible to predict.
Days are short, it's the amount of light that triggers laying.
Does your coop have lots of windows for light?

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

I assume you live in the northern hemisphere?
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2907742

Southern Arizona, still in the 80s daily and dips into 40°-50° at night. Sunrise is about 6am and sunset is about 5:30-6. 2 large openings in the coop so it's bright enough that it's like standing in the shade. They only get nutrena starter/grower crumbles in 2 feeders and ouster shell in another feeder. I don't really offer treats, some grass/weed clippings once a week. The last 2 months I gave a small handful of dried mealworms every other week while they had pox but I haven't given any this month. Breeds are speckled sussex and blue orpington

 

[MysteryChicken]

Southern Arizona, still in the 80s daily and dips into 40°-50° at night. Sunrise is about 6am and sunset is about 5:30-6. 2 large openings in the coop so it's bright enough that it's like standing in the shade. They only get nutrena starter/grower crumbles in 2 feeders and ouster shell in another feeder. I don't really offer treats, some grass/weed clippings once a week. The last 2 months I gave a small handful of dried mealworms every other week while they had pox but I haven't given any this month. Breeds are speckled sussex and blue orpington

Are their faces bright red? Are their comb, & wattles larger?

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

I have 17 chickens, 8 are pullets but only 4 are old enough to lay, the other 4 won't be in laying age until late December or early January so I don't expect anything from them. I'm only keeping the oldest cockerel, hopefully this weekend the rest of the boys will be gone. Just this week the oldest cockerel has started dancing in front of the 4 older girls. He's never done that before and hasn't tried to mount them yet but I thought maybe he knows they're close. The blue orpington has also gotten a lot of comb/wattle growth the last 2 weeks and her wattles are bright red but her comb is still kinda black with pink showing through, it's always been black so I don't know if it will ever be bright red? The speckled girls have a little growth but still light pink combs, I'm guessing blue will be first and when the other girls start showing the sudden comb growth and go red like hers that'll signal they're close?

 

[aart]

when the other girls start showing the sudden comb growth and go red like hers that'll signal they're close?

Yep.
Bright red and swollen combs are a good sign.
You can also check pelvic bones.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

Yep.
Bright red and swollen combs are a good sign.
You can also check pelvic bones.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

I just went and checked them again, 2 of them are 2 fingers and 1 is 1 finger, I couldn't catch the other. Last time I checked was maybe 2 weeks ago and only blue was 1 and a half fingers and the rest were 1. The 2 with the brightest combs are 2 fingers, the other 2 are still pretty light pink

 

[aart]

I just went and checked them again, 2 of them are 2 fingers and 1 is 1 finger, I couldn't catch the other. Last time I checked was maybe 2 weeks ago and only blue was 1 and a half fingers and the rest were 1. The 2 with the brightest combs are 2 fingers, the other 2 are still pretty light pink

I find it easiest to grab them off the roost at night for exams.
Sounds like they are closer than they've ever been!
Lots of vocalizations yet?
Most significant sign of imminent eggs is the messing up of the nests.