Why have my 7 month old hens not began to lay?

[bluebird]

You can increase their desire to lay by placing "dummy eggs" in the nest boxes. Golf balls or plastic eggs work well.

x2. This worked for my chickens!

 

[I_AmPairPair]

We placed a yellow pool ball in there a few months back, but they did not care about it at all.

 

[Welshies]

We placed a yellow pool ball in there a few months back, but they did not care about it at all.

You should have 1 or 2, or even 3. Can you post pics of your coop? For me, my chickens weren't laying, then I placed a blanket over the window and boom- eggs galore. It may be too light in there for them.

 

[I_AmPairPair]

I have no pictures of the coop with me, but there is green fake golf grass atop their coop to keep pesky hawks from noticing them, along with to block the sun from causing them to overheat.

 

[Welshies]

I have no pictures of the coop with me, but there is green fake golf grass atop their coop to keep pesky hawks from noticing them, along with to block the sun from causing them to overheat.

Yes, but what do you have for windows?

 

[aart]

eat on a regular schedule (pretty much every day, sometimes if we run out of feed they will miss a day).

Ummm....they need good feed regularly..as in every day, all day.

feed them lay food and sometimes dog food,

Layer feed should only be fed to birds that are actively laying...protein is too low, and calcium too high, for growing birds.
Have you been feeding them this since they were chicks?

x2. Chickens do not lat nearly as much in winter, especially young ones

Actually, young birds are more likely to lay thru their first winter.

 

[Welshies]

Ummm....they need good feed regularly..as in every day, all day.

Layer feed should only be fed to birds that are actively laying...protein is too low, and calcium too high, for growing birds.
Have you been feeding them this since they were chicks?


Actually, young birds are more likely to lay thru their first winter.

Where are you from? I've never heard that last part.
x2 on the feed all day, every day part. It is cruel to make animals miss a day of food.

 

[bluebird]

Where are you from? I've never heard that last part.
x2 on the feed all day, every day part. It is cruel to make animals miss a day of food.

x3

 

[junebuggena]

Easter Eggers do best when kept on a higher protein diet than what most layer feeds provide. Giving them layer feed before they are ready to lay can drastically slow down their development. I suggest switching to a starter/grower, flock raiser, or all flock. They don't need extra calcium until they are actually producing eggs.

 

[Welshies]

Easter Eggers do best when kept on a higher protein diet than what most layer feeds provide. Giving them layer feed before they are ready to lay can drastically slow down their development. I suggest switching to a starter/grower, flock raiser, or all flock. They don't need extra calcium until they are actually producing eggs.

Or even an 18-20% maintenance ration. Provide free choice oyster shell on the side.