Will I have to wait until spring?

[Prisserbabe]

My chickens are about 18-19 weeks old and none are laying ... so does this mean (because its the end of the year about) that they will molt and not lay eggs than winter will come and they still won't eggs leaving me waiting until spring D:

 

[MommyMagpie]

I think if you provide them with supplemental light they will lay. I hope so, because we just got 4 new pullets that are about 16 weeks and would hate to think it will be spring before we get any eggs from them. They are Cochins and mature more slowly, but I am hoping they will start by Christmas. We do have light in the coop though.

I am not an expert, however, so maybe someone else with more knowledge and experience will come along and contribute an answer.

As for the molting, I do know that chickens don't molt until the second late summer/early fall, so you should be ok there.

 

[donrae]

My experience has been they start laying in the fall of the first year and lay through the winter, next spring and summer, molt the following fall and production falls off then, picking up the following spring. Granted, I usually get my birds earlier in the year, but I'd think you have a good chance to get eggs this fall/winter. Are any showing signs of maturity--larger, redder combs or submissive squatting?

 

[SteveBaz]

Same boat with 3 of the girls that are just shy of 18 weeks and they are getting very red in the face. However, no routine changes at all!! no squatting, no nest building, no strange behavior at all.

 

[flspnr]

Me too. I wake up every morning and ask them where my eggs are and they just look at me and tilt their heads like they don't understand. I think they're laughing at me though. Silly girl who thinks she'll get eggs out of them...

They'll be 18 weeks Monday, I think, if I did my math right...

 

[SteveBaz]

I am a complete city boy slicker and never had a farm fresh egg!! OMG, Really! I do not know what to even expect them to do.... Grunt A Lot, Right? LOL

 

[bobcatridge]

I have only had chickens for about 14 months. I got one week old chicks on Aug 11, 2010. The first one started to lay Christmas Day of 2010 and within 3 weeks they were all laying. Granted I live in the California Central Coast and if the bird bath freezes we think it is really cold. There are always sunny days inbetween winter rain so my chicks get lots of light. So depending on the weather/sun situation in your area, I think your chickens will start laying before spring.

 

[vitpsu]

I have 8 brown leghorns. During the day they free range and at night they return to the coop to roost. 2 of them have decided to roost in trees in the woods. In the morning they return to the coop for breakfast then spend the day with the flock. I'm worried that when winter comes they won't be safe out of the coop. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Might want to ask your questions on your own thread, so why not just start one and ask away? You'll get better responses than just tagging on this thread of a different subject, really.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most chickens start laying around 20-26 weeks on average. Chcikens usually have their first big molt around 18 months, then yearly thereafter. If you put a small light on a timer in your coop to provide 12 hours of light, chickens will lay into the winter, although some may slow down.