When do Easter Eggers begin to lay? Why will they not go in the grass?

[Donnigan]

I have 2 easter egger hens that are almost 7 months and are not laying yet. They get scraps, scratch, whole corn and laying pellets. They always have fresh clean water. I have a large chicken pen but they trampled the grass down so i let the flock in my backyard. For some reason the 2 Easter Eggers stay in the chicken pen under the bushes all day and never go out in the backyard so I'm worried they aren't getting bugs/grass. They are also really small, my 10 week old chicks have outgrown them. I have carried them out in the yard almost everyday since the were about 8 weeks but they always run back into the pen! When will they start laying? Could lack of grass/bugs be causing delayed laying? How can i get them to go out in the yard? Thanks

 

[donrae]

Can you post pictures of your birds?

I'm concerned about the size......

 

[chickens really]

Sounds like yours are Bantam EEs? If EEs at all?
A photo would help...
Stress and to many treats and not a nutritional diet will delay egg production....Corn is not good in a daily diet...What type of feed are they being fed?
Just to give you an idea this is how I feed..
From 18 weeks till one year old I feed Grower crumbles and Layer pellets with oyster shell in a separate bowl..Grit out at all times and treats once a week at 5%...
Everyone has a different way of feeding their Birds...This works for mine..Mine also free range a bit in the afternoon...

Cheers!

 

[Donnigan]

Can you post pictures of your birds?

I'm concerned about the size......

I'll try to get some pictures

 

[Donnigan]

Sounds like yours are Bantam EEs? If EEs at all?
A photo would help...
Stress and to many treats and not a nutritional diet will delay egg production....Corn is not good in a daily diet...What type of feed are they being fed? 
Just to give you an idea this is how I feed..
From 18 weeks till one year old I feed Grower crumbles and Layer pellets with oyster shell in a separate bowl..Grit out at all times and treats once a week at 5%...
Everyone has a different way of feeding their Birds...This works for mine..Mine also free range a bit in the afternoon...

Cheers!

They aren't bantams, i hatched them. Their dad is about 10 pounds and the mothers are about 8 pounds.

 

[Donnigan]

It's windy here so their feathers are blowing everywhere! The hens are the red one in the back and the brownish one. The rooster wouldn't get out of the picture!

( forgot to add that what you see them doing in the picture is what they do all day long)

 

[aart]

I have 2 easter egger hens that are almost 7 months and are not laying yet. They get scraps, scratch, whole corn and laying pellets. They always have fresh clean water. I have a large chicken pen but they trampled the grass down so i let the flock in my backyard. For some reason the 2 Easter Eggers stay in the chicken pen under the bushes all day and never go out in the backyard so I'm worried they aren't getting bugs/grass. They are also really small, my 10 week old chicks have outgrown them. I have carried them out in the yard almost everyday since the were about 8 weeks but they always run back into the pen! When will they start laying? Could lack of grass/bugs be causing delayed laying? How can i get them to go out in the yard? Thanks

That diet is probably seriously lacking in protein.....cut out everything but the laying pellets, and plain fresh clean water of course.

Need clearer and better lit pics. Full body side views and some close ups of heads.