Still no eggs....

[GothChick]

So I have three 24 week old Buff Orpingtons, four 22 week old Easter Eggers, and a bunch of other hens that are all over 16 weeks and still no eggs.

They have extra lighting and heat. I also give them 24/7 food, water, and oyster shell. They are all very healthy and active but still nothing. They have nesting boxes and I even put fake eggs in there for them. Any extra advice I might be missing?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Patience. One of my EE's did not lay till she was 32 weeks old.

 

[AZBootsie]

Also waiting for my EE's to lay. I have been told 30- 32 weeks......sometimes longer. Sorry no clue on your other pullets.

Patience??

 

[4nematode]

When I first got my girls, I checked the calendar...I was waiting and waiting....I think it was close to 30 weeks before they started, but now they lay like crazy!! It will happy, and then every morning is like an Easter egg hunt. Don't worry at all.

 

[Anna_B_Happy]

My hens are at 24 1/2 weeks and still no eggs....freeloaders!

 

[GothChick]

Ok. Well at least I'm not the only one. I really hope some of them start laying before Easter. My relatives were all planning on buying their eggs from me this year instead of the store.

 

[scbatz33]

It's the weather. IME, you can trick them into laying year round with lights and such, but if they haven't started laying yet, they will wait for the spring to come on before they begin laying for the first time.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
You can stimulate them to start laying by adding light. It depends upon how you go about. Just adding a bunch of additional hours all at once doesn't necessarily do it as it tends to confuse them. It's not the total length of day that stimulates them, but increasing day lengths. You should start at the natural day length and add about 30 minutes a week until they get there. While the days are getting longer naturally right now, you can increase the effect by speeding it up a little. Once they are laying, do not decrease the day length. When the natural day length finally catches up you can turn off the additional lighting.