- Feb 22, 2012
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HI All, I"m new to keeping chickens, but when we do something, we do it big! We got 24 Barred Rock hens (and a little bantam rooster) from a neighbor on Sunday. They are about 10 months old and are not laying at all. The previous owner kept them in an old drafty, dark shed. He said that they did lay for a few weeks last fall, but in November he boarded up the windows to keep out the snow/wind better and they stopped laying almost immediately. They seem to be in pretty good health: no evidence of mites or lice and they are very active and curious, always scratching around. They are now in a large, draft free coop with several windows, plenty of bedding, roosts, and nest boxes. I have layer pellets and fresh water always available, and they're definitely taking advantage of it, judging by the rate at which is disappears! We are in northern IA, so we only have about 10 hours of natural daylight right now. So my question is, when can I expect eggs? Any tips for speeding up egg production? Thanks!