The talk!

[seahuntmike]

Thinking of bringing out the big gumbo pot and giving them the talk.had these three for about a month and was told they were about 20 weeks old, no eggs yet. I know patience

 

[Judy]

If you want eggs, 20 weeks is way too early to bring out the gumbo pot, especiallythis time of year. If they are all Production Reds, they will probably all be laying within a month, maybe two.

 

[JJSS89]

What are you feeding them?

 

[seahuntmike]

Still feeding purina start and grow, my local feed store said to feed this till they start laying then switch to layena or other brands

 

[seahuntmike]

To clarify, they were 20 weeks old when I got them which was about a month ago

 

[JJSS89]

In what part of the country do you live? Those birds look like some barnyard hens and might not lay until later when they have better weather.

Tough to say.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They do not look quite ready to give eggs yet. The combs will redden more and they will do the egg squat when they are closer to laying. Looks to me like another month or 2 tops and they should start laying.

 

[seahuntmike]

Thanks for the info. Regarding the feed should I keep doing the same thing.

 

[seahuntmike]

Also, I live in south Louisiana

 

[21hens-incharge]

I keep mine on starter until I see an egg. I do not want to introduce calcium into the mix until they are actually laying since it can be hard on their system.

I have had birds that did not lay until they were a year old but they were special cases and not the norm. If I have a hen that is not laying by 30 weeks I begin to wonder and by 45 weeks I am pretty sure I got a dud hen.

Brahma for instance are considered a slow maturing bird so I would have different expectations of them.