Why aren't my hens laying?

[Amy Adcock]

I have five Red Sex Links that are about to be 21 weeks and aren't laying. My friend who bought 4 from the same store on the same day has all 4 laying. They have been laying since they were 16 weeks old. What am I doing wrong? The combs and wattles are getting big and red, they are eating layer pellets, but they aren't laying. Is this unusual? Are there hens that don't lay eggs, or am I getting impatient? I have 11 hens all different breeds 19 weeks to 21 weeks and none are laying.

 

[sourland]

Patience, they will lay. Any possibility of hidden nests ?

 

[Birdsong 82]

Yes be patient. They will lay in it seems to take forever. I notice my sex links laid at a later age They My rhode Island reds. And like the last poster said check for a hidden best because it sometimes takes them a while to get used to laying in the nesting box

 

[Amy Adcock]

Patience, they will lay. Any possibility of hidden nests ?

I haven't found one. They do free range over a large area but I've looked everywhere and no eggs. It's hard to be patient!!!

 

[Birdsong 82]

What worked well for me is keeping them in their run until they started laying for a few weeks so they got used to where they want to lay. Now they refuse to lay anywhere in the yard. It's a good idea if your run is big enough. When I got my first set of young chickens I thought they were in laying until I found them randomly around the yard that's when I decided to change my plans. You are right though it is hard to be patient

 

[Amy Adcock]

What worked well for me is keeping them in their run until they started laying for a few weeks so they got used to where they want to lay. Now they refuse to lay anywhere in the yard. It's a good idea if your run is big enough. When I got my first set of young chickens I thought they were in laying until I found them randomly around the yard that's when I decided to change my plans. You are right though it is hard to be patient

I think I'll try that. My friend sends me all these pics of her big brown eggs and I can hardly stand it! Haha so I've been thinking there has to be something wrong with them. I jokingly say I bought some dud chickens.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Ha ha. I thought the same thing . Did she get the same breed when you got the chicks?

 

[Amy Adcock]

Ha ha. I thought the same thing . Did she get the same breed when you got the chicks?

Yes, exact same all in the same tub.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Maybe that means yours will lay longer!! I feel like once the first one started laying it's like the other ones caught on. Look in odd places on your property too. I moved a tarp off an air compressor one time and found 26 eggs in a pile hiding under there !

 

[snowbird]

Just wondering if you have good nest box up off the ground / sometimes they will eat the eggs if they are too close to the ground or on the ground.