Why aren't my chickens laying yet?

Hi there,

Im having the same problem. Its high summer here, well, mid july in ireland so dull-ish but the days are still long.

Its my first time having chickens. I bought three point of lay about three weeks ago and still no eggs. my friend bought some on the same day and hers started laying last week... in saying that she bought nine so her chances were better at the outset.

Following this thread with interest, any advice is appreciated!
 
I just found my first egg in the coop today! My oldest hen is 32 weeks, then 5 more that are 30 weeks, then around 6 more that are 24 weeks. Not sure who laid it, but I am so excited! We've been waiting for them to start laying for months. Not sure why they took so long. They roam around during the day, so maybe they just hid all the rest and we didn't find them. We don't add light either so I was prepared to have to wait until spring to see any eggs (it's the beginning of November here in New York state). We still have around 8 males of the same ages, so maybe their presence delayed the girls? We didn't use the golf ball trick, so maybe they didn't know what the nest boxes were for. Anyway, just wanted to comment to give you a sense of how long it could take. With the cold and dark and our way of raising them, I was prepared to not see any until spring when they'd be almost a year old. It's been almost 2 years since your original post; when did they eventually start laying?
 
I have five that are approximate laying age, not quite sure how old they are exactly but they are getting red in the face. They have some light and free choice oyster shell, protein treats. Today I thought for sure I'd get my first ever egg! My red kept fussing and sitting in the nesting box, scratching and fluffing up the hay. I tweeted it and was told to give them a can of tuna with a little bit of cayenne. Four hours later I heard the egg song for the first time but it was from a different hen...and no egg to be found? I recorded it and played it back which got three or four of them singing along but still no egg. It has to be close now.
 
Yes, it should be soon now. My 20 week old Rhode Island Red sang the egg song yesterday - and when I put my hand out she "curtsies". Her comb and wattle still aren't as full as they will be when fully mautre, so I continue to wait (sort of patiently). The other three seem less ready, so I know they will be a little way off. It's mid-spring here in Sydney so am hopeful for eggs by Christmas! Hope you get one soon!
 
I got my first egg! They've been doing the squat for about a week and did the egg song yesterday so I gave them tuna with a sprinkle of cayenne yesterday and today I got my first ever egg! It's perfect, nice egg shape and not like a bullet, clean, and small. I did add light as soon as the days shortened. I won't run them like a factory but we really do want to get a few eggs from them before winter sets in.
 
I have quite a mix, My 3 black Sumatras are laying but my Buff Orpingtons and my Rhode Islands are not laying yet at all.
They eat oats, Pico De Guyo mix, cracked corn and laying pellets and mash. Totally spoiled group but no eggs from those two groups yet. Got about 12 hours of light here in bay area, California with nice 60 to 70 degree weather.
 
Im having the no egg blues. First time with 2 Rhode Island reds, I was told one is 4 months and one is 6 months old. I live in Central Florida. I've had them for a month and a half now, eating laying mash feed, they won't eat any scrapes, but did like watermelon. Should I be doing something different? They have a large coop with nesting box. I leave the door open for them to roam and they will not leave the coop, nor will they come near me.
 
The 24 week old rhode islad red I sold to my co-worker isn't laying yet either but I have 3 black broilers from ideal that started laying over a month ago. I guess it just depends on the breed. Last year my barred rocks started laying at 20 weeks and it was about this time of year. The EE's started at 26. I read somewhere on here about how to check if they are about to lay. Pick them up and put them in your lap upside down then feel fro the pelvic bone near the vent. If one or less finger fits between the 2 pelvic bones(they are pointy and easy to find) the it will be awhile, 1.5 fingers and they should lay in a week or 2 and 2 fingers or more and it could be any day. It seems pretty accurate as far as I can tell.
 
I too am wondering why my RIR won't lay. It is mid spring here in Texas and I have two other hens (an Australorp and an Americana) that have been laying for at least a month or two. My other two aren't laying everyday (probably 4 eggs a week each) but at least the conditions are such that they are laying. I got the Australorp first last summer (August) from a friend already laying everyday and she did until we got the other two birds a couple weeks later. We bought the other two from a feed shop as full grown laying hens. I have no idea how old any of them are. When we put them all together last September, all three laid for the next two days but then all stopped (probably because of the stress of the move and figuring out the new pecking order) and then it went into fall and they molted and we got only a few more eggs over the next five months. The short of it - I know that the RIR can lay and is old enough and what her eggs look like (all three have different color eggs). I gave added light starting in February (April now with ~13hrs natural light) and other feed, etc conditions are ample to get the other two laying. We are giving the RIR through the summer to prove herself, else she will be an expensive chicken dinner. I would really rather have her eggs, though. Do RIRs have special needs? Any other thoughts? Thanks!
 

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