When will they lay????

[nhchickmom]

Hi all,

So my pullets are now 23 weeks old and none of them are laying, even though a few have full combs and are very red. I have 2 ee, 2 barred rocks, and 2 welsummers. Shouldn't the barred's atleast be laying?

Also this may sound stupid, but will they figure out how to do it, where to lay them? We have 4 hens and none of them are laying now because they are in a heavy moult so the pullets can't even learn from example. Am I over thinking this? We got the original 4 hens when they were already laying so I am new to this.

Any thoughts?

 

[Clay In Iowa]

They will begin laying when they are ready and stop long after you are sick of eggs.....

 

[shaggy]

instinct/bodily functions > learned behaviors

i am sure they are close to laying ... just have to give them time

women don't have to figure out how to have their period - chickens don't have to figure out how to lay an egg .... their bodies just know how and will perform those functions when their body is ready

where to lay ... i am not sure ... but i believe that is determined by instinct as well


no worries ... over thinking leads to greater understanding.

no reason to get stressed over it though .... it will happen when it happens and there is nothing anyone can do to make it happen any sooner

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I looked at my records. My first wellie laid at exactly 20 weeks, an EE at 20 weeks and my BCMs at 21 weeks. Some didn't get going till week 26. Now there's no stopping them.

Might be the diminishing amount of light they are getting right now slowing hem down. Do you have lights in the coop?

 

[MistyMountainGirl]

My hens will be 24 weeks on Saturday, and I just got my first egg yesterday. It took about 2 weeks from the time I noticed the combs and face were getting really red. To get them to lay in the nest you can put some golf balls or fake eggs in the nests. I did this but my hen still laid her egg on the floor of the coop, maybe it just takes some time for them to figure it out.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I've had several first eggs laid on the coop floor/run. I don't think pullets know the signs of labor till they drop a few eggs.

Golf balls worked great for me.

 

[nhchickmom]

ok, I hear ya...... I need to keep being patient. One other question. My chicks free range during the day. Will they go back to the coop to lay or just lay where ever outside?

 

[RendonRoo]

They may choose to lay outside. If so they will likely lay in a safe place(under bushes etc). I have several hens that refuse to lay in their nest boxes. i've done the fake eggs and everything. They have trained me to watch where i step in the coop and run. LOL
I agree with other post that they should start to lay soon. Good Luck

 

[RendonRoo]

They may choose to lay outside. If so they will likely lay in a safe place(under bushes etc). I have several hens that refuse to lay in their nest boxes. i've done the fake eggs and everything. They have trained me to watch where i step in the coop and run. LOL
I agree with other post that they should start to lay soon. Good Luck

 

[tazzy]

yes, I've found a few first eggs on the floor of our coop, too. after that, they're in the nest boxes with the other eggs. they figure it out very fast.

our buff orpingtons usually start laying around 20-22 weeks. but we have chickens right now that range from 23 weeks to 26 weeks, and some aren't laying yet. I don't know who isn't laying, since we have 34 hens, but we're only getting 24 to 25 eggs a day. I suspect it's some of the light brahmas and three of the black jersey giants not laying yet. I've seen one black jersey giant in the nest, but not very often, so I think she's the only one laying.

it's all instinct for the hens. provide them with nest boxes and they will go in to lay their eggs, if not the first one, soon after.