Still not laying

[featheredplanets]

Okay, I know I have to be patient but at this point I’m ready to drop these girls off at McDonalds.

I got these two olive eggers from an auction. No age given. I posted on BYC and the age was set around 12 weeks. So they’re now between 24 and 26 weeks old. They’re most likely made up of Marans and Cream Legbar.

The CL looking one is huge. She has a big bright red comb and quite a big pair of wattles. She will not squat or entertain the nest boxes. She acts like a cockerel. Very confrontational with me and the other girls.
The more Marans looking one is a bit smaller, definitely quieter. She has a small pinker comb but has been doing the occasional squat this past week.

How long will it be till they lay? I’m downsizing for winter and I want to keep layers. I’m planning to keep the dark olive egger and rehome the other one, as the other is the main problem causer.

 

[SueT]

Days are getting short, they may wait till spring....

 

[featheredplanets]

Days are getting short, they may wait till spring....

I know but surely at 24 weeks and with combs like that, they should be laying soon?

 

[Jac Jac]

Days are getting short, they may wait till spring....

I cluckingly agree.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I would recommend more patience. I had bought my nephew and his son five started pullets back in mid-May and they just began laying this week at around 28 weeks. This has not been that uncommon of an occurrence in our area (VA/NC) this year based on what I'm hearing from other folks. I believe our warmer than usual weather with little or no rain is having an impact. How has the weather been in your part of the world this year?

 

[featheredplanets]

I would recommend more patience. I had bought my nephew and his son five started pullets back in mid-May and they just began laying this week at around 28 weeks. This has not been that uncommon of an occurrence in our area (VA/NC) this year based on what I'm hearing from other folks. I believe our warmer than usual weather with little or no rain is having an impact. How has the weather been in your part of the world this year?

Normal I guess. My other pullets started laying in April, around 5 months old.

 

[Ox21167]

I agree, they should start laying soon. Just be patient. I want olive Eggers. I have Ameraucana, or Easter Egger chicken. Be patient and soon your hens will begin to lay. As for the acting like a male thing, if you aren't informed of why they do this, it is because you most likely don't have a rooster, and one of the hens will act like one to subsitute for the lack of a male in a flock.

If that made any sense.

 

[imnukensc]

They should be laying soon---within a few more weeks. The cream legbar mix will most likely be first. I doubt very seriously that they will wait until spring to start. I've had pullets start laying as late as the last week of November and continue to lay all through the winter. Length of day doesn't seem to affect pullet laying in my experience.

 

[featheredplanets]

I agree, they should start laying soon. Just be patient. I want olive Eggers. I have Ameraucana, or Easter Egger chicken. Be patient and soon your hens will begin to lay. As for the acting like a male thing, if you aren't informed of why they do this, it is because you most likely don't have a rooster, and one of the hens will act like one to subsitute for the lack of a male in a flock.

If that made any sense.

I have a cockerel but he doesn’t run with my layers. Thanks for the info

 

[featheredplanets]

They should be laying soon---within a few more weeks. The cream legbar mix will most likely be first. I doubt very seriously that they will wait until spring to start. I've had pullets start laying as late as the last week of November and continue to lay all through the winter. Length of day doesn't seem to affect pullet laying in my experience.

This is what I thought. It just doesn’t seem right that they’re so red and one is squatting but they wouldn’t lay for another 5 or 6 months.