Will my chickens ever lay?

[birdman55]

went out to the coop and eggzilla stop in....check out the photo...so if you notice the green one and brown one...they look smaller then the rest of the eggs...this is from the new chicken learning how to process the egg and have it...once she gets her body used to it she will be consistent on regular sized eggs....if you incubate your own egg i would make sure not to use any of these smaller eggs try and use the best looking egg possible...it will give you great results...i have three roosters and about forty hens and i get close to 100 percent fertility...when a rooster does his thing with the hen the hen will actually stay fertile for well over a week.... enjoy the pics

 

[Garjzla]

I love those golden pheasants!

 

[birdman55]

thanks....check out the thread below I just finished cutting the top for the incubator

 

[jessicaw31]

Thanks so much everyone for the awesome information. I am happy to announce that when I went to the coop tonight to shut everything up and refill the waterer. There was an egg in one of my nesting boxes that wasn't there earlier ! I don't know who it's from but i was doing the happy dance!!!

Congrats I know how you feel! I finally received my first egg from one of my 6 month old GLW!

 

[Garjzla]

One of my chickens laid their very first egg!

 

[informative]

Feed them "grower" food and shredded carrots, boiled green beans/sweet potatoes and throw in some scrambled eggs and watch them start laying - once they do add the layer pellets with a small amount of "12% sweet feed" added to keep the layers happy

 

[Garjzla]

Feed them "grower" food and shredded carrots, boiled green beans/sweet potatoes and throw in some scrambled eggs and watch them start laying - once they do add the layer pellets with a small amount of "12% sweet feed" added to keep the layers happy

Can't they lay at a normal pace instead of faster? I don't like feeding them layer feed. They need a break every once and a while.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Can't they lay at a normal pace instead of faster? I don't like feeding them layer feed. They need a break every once and a while.

You don't *have* to feed layer ration at any point - many of us, myself included, do not use layer feed with our flocks as we prefer to feed the higher protein grower rations (ie flock-raiser) which is better for mixed flocks (young birds, males, females that are not actively producing eggs due to molt, age, etc) as the issue of kidney damage from the higher calcium content of the layer feed is not an issue with this feed program. If one chooses not to use layer ration, simply provide free choice calcium supplement (oyster shell, egg shells, etc) for the birds who ARE actively producing eggs and they will take what they need/want at will with the rest of the birds having little to no interest in it.
Layer feed in and of itself does not cause production of eggs -- the layer ration is simply used to provide the calcium birds need to produce shells for and expel eggs that their body does produce. The birds will be laying at a "normal pace" with or with out the layer ration provided their diet is sufficient to support production.

 

[birdman55]

You don't *have* to feed layer ration at any point - many of us, myself included, do not use layer feed with our flocks as we prefer to feed the higher protein grower rations (ie flock-raiser) which is better for mixed flocks (young birds, males, females that are not actively producing eggs due to molt, age, etc) as the issue of kidney damage from the higher calcium content of the layer feed is not an issue with this feed program. If one chooses not to use layer ration, simply provide free choice calcium supplement (oyster shell, egg shells, etc) for the birds who ARE actively producing eggs and they will take what they need/want at will with the rest of the birds having little to no interest in it.
Layer feed in and of itself does not cause production of eggs -- the layer ration is simply used to provide the calcium birds need to produce shells for and expel eggs that their body does produce. The birds will be laying at a "normal pace" with or with out the layer ration provided their diet is sufficient to support production.

good information...thanks good to know

 

[Tucs]

I have three eight months old hens, one BO, one Ameraucana and one RIR. The RIR is still not laying while the other two have been laying 5 eggs per week for the past 2 months.
She is the the biggest of the flock and seems healthy and happy, maybe this breed takes a little longer???? Good luck with your six rescue hens, they must be so happy to finally have a good life.