Where are my eggs?!

[TKGray5711]

Our first batch of girls are BO, and are 21 weeks old.

They were on an organic layer feed for the last couple weeks, but this weekend will be switched to an "all flock" with free choice oyster shell (there is a gentleman moving out there with them lol). They get eggshell in with their food occasionally, as well as some bits of dry high quality cat food (which they love!). They are let out of the coop within an hour of sunrise and get put up at dusk/sunset (They put themselves up).

They free range during the day. A couple seem like they have "widened out" and have very red/pronounces combs and waddle.

So...why are they not laying yet? Or are they an I can't find them? I have golf balls in their nesting boxes already. I walk around and check all of their "hangout spots" in the yard daily, looking for a misplaced egg. How well do they hide them? Would I just see it or will it be buried?

Sorry this is so long, I'm just impatient. Lol!! And hubby is getting really impatient (as the primary chicken investor lol!!)

 

[sourland]

Patience. Orpingtons are not like the high production hybrids. They generally take a bit longer to mature. The shortening daylight period is a factor, but they will lay this autumn.

 

[TKGray5711]

Patience. Orpingtons are not like the high production hybrids. They generally take a bit longer to mature. The shortening daylight period is a factor, but they will lay this autumn.

Thank you. Am I doing everything right or should I be doing something else? Lol

And how well do they hide eggs once laid? Not at all/it'll be pretty obvious? Or should I be digging through their favorite bush with a fine tooth comb?

 

[Unwittingchickenlady]

Our first batch of girls are BO, and are 21 weeks old.

They were on an organic layer feed for the last couple weeks, but this weekend will be switched to an "all flock" with free choice oyster shell (there is a gentleman moving out there with them lol). They get eggshell in with their food occasionally, as well as some bits of dry high quality cat food (which they love!). They are let out of the coop within an hour of sunrise and get put up at dusk/sunset (They put themselves up).

They free range during the day. A couple seem like they have "widened out" and have very red/pronounces combs and waddle.

So...why are they not laying yet? Or are they an I can't find them? I have golf balls in their nesting boxes already. I walk around and check all of their "hangout spots" in the yard daily, looking for a misplaced egg. How well do they hide them? Would I just see it or will it be buried?

Sorry this is so long, I'm just impatient. Lol!! And hubby is getting really impatient (as the primary chicken investor lol!!)

I'm doing the egg hunt myself. Mine free range dawn to dusk like yours and put themselves to bed.

I have two who will use the nesting boxes, and 22 that like to lay in the brambles on two acres.

The crows tend to find them before I do.

One hen uses a tree crotch a foot up next to my house, she'd been laying there a week before I found the eggs.

I just wanted to say good luck!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

When it happens it will be like your birthday and every other favorite holiday wrapped up in one day!

 

[TKGray5711]

I'm doing the egg hunt myself. Mine free range dawn to dusk like yours and put themselves to bed.

I have two who will use the nesting boxes, and 22 that like to lay in the brambles on two acres.

The crows tend to find them before I do.

One hen uses a tree crotch a foot up next to my house, she'd been laying there a week before I found the eggs.

I just wanted to say good luck!

Thank you! Luckily they're only on a quarter of an acre, so it's fairly narrowed down. But between the bushes, gardens, and brush under our biggest tree...it's a daily scavenger hunt. Lol!

 

[Ridgerunner]

why are they not laying yet?

It is possible a BO could lay an egg at 16 weeks, they may wait for six months or longer. A lot of that is the individual pullet. If you are north of the equator the days are getting shorter, that might affect it, but I've had pullets lay their first egg the first week of December, the shortest days of the year. I once had to wait for nine months for my greed egg layers to start, so I understand frustration. The bottom line is that they are going to lay their first egg when they lay it, regardless of breed or even time of the year.

Or are they an I can't find them? I have golf balls in their nesting boxes already. I walk around and check all of their "hangout spots" in the yard daily, looking for a misplaced egg. How well do they hide them?

They can hide them extremely well. Plenty of people have found nests full of eggs hidden in their coop. Their instinct is to hide a nest from a predator, they can be really good at that.

You can tell if they are laying or very close to laying by looking at their vent. If the vent is pink, moist, and soft they are laying or will be really soon. If the vent is tight and dry they are not laying. Once you see the difference it is obvious.

The most common cause of hens not laying is the molt. Highly unlikely with yours but if you are seeing a bunch of feathers flying around it could be.

Hiding a nest is probably the second leading cause of you thinking they quit laying. Certainly a possibility.

Something may be getting them. In North America the common critters that take eggs without leaving a sign are snakes, canines, and humans. Practically everything else leaves egg shells and often a wet spot. Snakes eat eggs then disappear for a few days while they digest them, so not likely a snake. A fox or coyote would probably be eating chicken instead of eggs so not likely them. Not sure what other critters may be wherever you are. A dog can eat eggs without bothering the chickens. Does a dog have access? A human doesn't always mean a thief, there have been stories on here where someone thought it would be a good practical joke.

So what can you do? you might mark an egg and leave it down there to see if it disappears. That would tell you that something is getting them. If you can lock the chickens in the coop only or coop + run for a couple of days and see if you get eggs. If you do, that means they were hiding a nest or you locked something out that was getting them.

Any of these are "possible" but my real guess is that they are just not laying yet and you have to be patient. It will happen. I don't know when, hopefully sooner than later.

 

[TKGray5711]

It is possible a BO could lay an egg at 16 weeks, they may wait for six months or longer. A lot of that is the individual pullet. If you are north of the equator the days are getting shorter, that might affect it, but I've had pullets lay their first egg the first week of December, the shortest days of the year. I once had to wait for nine months for my greed egg layers to start, so I understand frustration. The bottom line is that they are going to lay their first egg when they lay it, regardless of breed or even time of the year.


They can hide them extremely well. Plenty of people have found nests full of eggs hidden in their coop. Their instinct is to hide a nest from a predator, they can be really good at that.

You can tell if they are laying or very close to laying by looking at their vent. If the vent is pink, moist, and soft they are laying or will be really soon. If the vent is tight and dry they are not laying. Once you see the difference it is obvious.

The most common cause of hens not laying is the molt. Highly unlikely with yours but if you are seeing a bunch of feathers flying around it could be.

Hiding a nest is probably the second leading cause of you thinking they quit laying. Certainly a possibility.

Something may be getting them. In North America the common critters that take eggs without leaving a sign are snakes, canines, and humans. Practically everything else leaves egg shells and often a wet spot. Snakes eat eggs then disappear for a few days while they digest them, so not likely a snake. A fox or coyote would probably be eating chicken instead of eggs so not likely them. Not sure what other critters may be wherever you are. A dog can eat eggs without bothering the chickens. Does a dog have access? A human doesn't always mean a thief, there have been stories on here where someone thought it would be a good practical joke.

So what can you do? you might mark an egg and leave it down there to see if it disappears. That would tell you that something is getting them. If you can lock the chickens in the coop only or coop + run for a couple of days and see if you get eggs. If you do, that means they were hiding a nest or you locked something out that was getting them.

Any of these are "possible" but my real guess is that they are just not laying yet and you have to be patient. It will happen. I don't know when, hopefully sooner than later.

Thank you so much!!

 

[ChickyWhicky]

It can be difficult to find hidden nests. I have a few hens that like to go rogue every now and then and hide nests. I've found them in various places. Tucked into tall grass in the ditch, about 10 feet from the road. I KNOW... Really, girls!? And when I say tucked into the grass, I mean TUCKED. They do a good job of getting those nests hidden. I've also found nests tucked into little tufts of grass under a tree or bush. I have found a nest in my large yucca plant. I have a current "hidden" nest that is actually inside my horse barn. She wiggles her way into the barn through the cat door and lays in a corner that has some lumber/boards stacked against it. I've left a few golf balls in there and let her keep it, it's easier than having to go on an easter egg hunt. The easiest way to find them is to keep them locked up until late morning/afternoon and then follow them as they go to lay their eggs. Or listen for them singing and run out to see where they are coming from. Once I find a nest, I take all the eggs and destroy the nest (kick dirt over it, pull the grass up) and they will start laying in the coop for awhile.... Until they decide it's Easter again and send me out on more hunts.
Sounds like from the advice given your girls may not even be laying yet, so fingers crossed you won't have to go searching! Good luck!

 

[aart]

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.