What time of day to hens lay?

[cejones119]

I have so many newbie questions it's impressive! It has been a week and a half since I got my year old hens. I have one EE, one black sex-link, and one EE cross. They were already established layers, but still aren't laying for me! I thought maybe they were laying in the yard since they are free range during the day so I've been keeping them in until around 1:00 or so before I let them out. Should they be done laying by this point in the day? Any other suggestions as to how to encourage them to lay/ why they might not be laying? I have golfballs in the nest box, layer feed, plenty of water and oyster shells. I don't know what the problem is!

 

[melloladies]

I'm a newbie myself, but I hear that changing homes (and a variety of other things) can stress out the hens which causes them to stop laying temporarily. Should pick up again. I'm not sure where you live vs. where they came from, but heat is a big factor too.
Good luck to you!

 

[CMV]

The problem is that they are stressed from moving. Chickens hate change, so a change of address can throw them off lay for up to a month. Once they start they will lay whenever they want. I have some that lay in the morning and some that lay in the afternoon. If they have a good idea of where home is then they will sometimes stop free-ranging, return to the coop, and lay in their nesting boxes. But then again, sometimes they won't stop free-ranging and you'll be hunting through the tall grass for hidden eggs.

Good luck.

 

[cejones119]

Ah, I thought they would only be put off by moving for a few days to a week. Perhaps I have a long wait ahead of me! Maybe I'm just being mean by keeping them in until afternoon if it doesn't really matter? They spend a good hunk of time in their coop even when the door is open so I think they know that's where they need to lay. I have scoured the yard several times and haven't found any eggs, but there are a lot of good places to hide eggs in the yard. Guess I'll just have to be patient!

 

[4 luv of eggs]

Mine lay all times during the day. Since an egg takes 26 hours to complete the development, they lay a little later each day until they skip a day entirely and lay early again. At least that's the way things have been going. It's good that way because I get to gather the day eggs and when DH comes home from work, he gets to have fun.

 

[chicken wild]

My hens lay aneyware between 11:00-3:00.

 

[carrlr]

Quote:
This has been my experience as well. With them usually being done by early afternoon.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

I gather from what I read that your girls have settled into their coop. Are their combs nice and red? Once they seem happy you should get eggs.

 

[happyhappy]

My girls have to spend the day inside and I let them out for two to three hours in the evening. My yard couldn't take much more . But days when I have let them out all day they will go back in an lay on the floor of the coop, in to much hurry I guess. also my husband came home (works) out of town and he put more straw in their boxes , they didn't like it and layed on the floor for that one. I am also a newbie but they do not like change everyone is right, so yes you might have a long wait. It will be worth it.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Its the stress, it take take anywhere from a few week to over a month for them to start laying again. Since an egg take about 26 hours to be laid there is no set time your hens will lay. Because every day it will be a little later, then when it gets too late they skip the day and lay the next morning. Starting the circle over again.