The Wyandotte Thread

[dfr1973]

What kind of light? I have seen many people suggest this. Will a simple lamp on be enough? What about a florancent he lamp

We are only a couple days from the solstice - it's Tuesday the 22nd this year. After that, the days will start gradually getting longer until summer, and the hens' brains ought to notice for sure next weekend.

That said, I've read it doesn't take much - even just a 40w bulb will do it, but you'll either need a timer or get up at zero-dark-stupid to turn it on in the wee hours of the morning. Don't extend in the evening, as they will need to go to roost normally.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Personally I have found most Wyandotte start around six months, and light doesn't affect first time layers like it would older hens, so patience, this time of year it sometimes take even a month longer to begin depending on your climate.

 

[towen91]

Ok I'm starting to feel defeated haha. Here we are at 26 weeks now and still not one egg. I've seen the squat, the waddles are in, all the signs are there. By still nothing. Is it possible some chickens just don't lay eggs haha.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The fact that you are talking about it tends to mean that you will get an egg very soon, it seems to happen a lot. Good luck.

 

[dfr1973]

Ok I'm starting to feel defeated haha. Here we are at 26 weeks now and still not one egg. I've seen the squat, the waddles are in, all the signs are there. By still nothing. Is it possible some chickens just don't lay eggs haha.

Take a couple deep breaths, and remember she is not a machine. I have two half-Wyandotte pullets about the same age (hatched June 15th) and one just laid her first egg over the weekend, while the other has still not reddened up in the face. They have the same sire, even. The smaller is the one laying.

We are even having a rather mild winter here, so far.

 

[cjpines]

Ok I'm starting to feel defeated haha. Here we are at 26 weeks now and still not one egg. I've seen the squat, the waddles are in, all the signs are there. By still nothing. Is it possible some chickens just don't lay eggs haha.

All my chickens started laying at age 26-28 wks, so not to fret, it will happen.

 

[towen91]

Thanks everyone. I'm new at this, this small flock is my first experience with owning chickens! Eggs or not, they are so much more fun then I would have thought! They are actually affectionate, and a blast to sit and watch. I just kinda always feel like I'm stumbling through it, if that makes sense? Like my coop isn't very functional, and the Latin boxes are a joke!! When they do start laying, it's going to be a job to get to the eggs!!

 

[dfr1973]

Chickens will always find a new and inventive way to confound your expectations and keep you humble by throwing a boxful of monkey wrenches into your plans. My husband calls them "cats with feathers." Don't be surprised if one of the pullets decides she simply must lay in the dark and nastiest corner of her area that she can find. Other pullets may decide they are actually little soccer hooligans as they kick the eggs around.

And if keeping chickens was all that easy, then everyone would do it!

You might as well laugh at their hijinks, because I personally believe mine are laughing at me when they pull these kind of shenanigans.

 

[towen91]

Yea right now my girls and guys new favorite trick, is to sit on the ping pong balls, or ceramic eggs I have in the laying boxes, and take turns sitting on them and protecting them. Lol

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I got mine in april.....still not one egg.