These beauties aren't laying!!!

[mlploeger]

Sounds as if your birds are right on schedule. Leghorns and Sex links generally start laying as much as 4 weeks earlier. It's a good idea to have multiple nest boxes, but even then hens may compete for the one 'favorite' nest.

Thank you. The only spot to really add another box with our current set up is on the floor of their coop. The coop itself is raised. Do you think this is okay? Or do they want their boxes up pretty high?

 

[aart]

Oh yes.. we had corn on sale at the store and we loaded up. So we've been giving them lots of treats. Any ideas for other high calorie snacks?

High calorie snacks are not going to help and may hinder their development and capacity to produce eggs. Stick with a balanced diet as @sourland suggests. With layer feed(15-16% protein) keep treats to a bare minimum(less than 10% of daily ration volume) so as not to dilute the protein and other nutrients in feed.

I only have 4 hens. 2 boxes should be plenty right?

2 should be plenty for 4 birds, but 1 more might not hurt.

Thank you. The only spot to really add another box with our current set up is on the floor of their coop. The coop itself is raised. Do you think this is okay? Or do they want their boxes up pretty high?

If another nest is taking up floor space, best to not add it. Nest should be lower than roosts. How big is your coop, in feet by feet? Pics would really help.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

High calorie snacks are not going to help and may hinder their development and capacity to produce eggs. Stick with a balanced diet as @sourland suggests. With layer feed(15-16% protein) keep treats to a bare minimum(less than 10% of daily ration volume) so as not to dilute the protein and other nutrients in feed.

2 should be plenty for 4 birds, but 1 more might not hurt.

If another nest is taking up floor space, best to not add it. Nest should be lower than roosts. How big is your coop, in feet by feet? Pics would really help.

X 2 on all counts. Also, 6 months is not "late" for onset of production. Both look very near to (or already at) production, and I do see they seem to be allowed to range at least part of the day -- are you certain they aren't laying outside of your coop/run? Newly laying birds, especially, can form rogue laying habits when they start to lay because they are not in the routine of using the nest boxes you have provided and end up just finding the nearest place to them when the urge hits and making a nest there.

 

[mlploeger]

High calorie snacks are not going to help and may hinder their development and capacity to produce eggs. Stick with a balanced diet as @sourland suggests. With layer feed(15-16% protein) keep treats to a bare minimum(less than 10% of daily ration volume) so as not to dilute the protein and other nutrients in feed.

2 should be plenty for 4 birds, but 1 more might not hurt.

If another nest is taking up floor space, best to not add it. Nest should be lower than roosts. How big is your coop, in feet by feet? Pics would really help.

Wow thank you so much! Okay I will get some pictures up later, that would be extremely helpful.