Will they ever lay?????

[Oz Chook]

I have a Light Sussex and an Araucana, both 6 months old and neither laying and not even looking like they are even considering giving it a go!

These are the first chooks I've had since bubs, all my others had already been laying when I got them, but they have since gone to chook heaven and have passed the torch to these 2.....

About 3 weeks ago I also brought home 6 more 8week old babies so I don't know if that has put a hold on things or not.

Also, to give you a complete picture, they free range all the time, just returning to their house on their own at sunset.

Their house is a shed, solid on 3 sides, mesh and shade cloth on the 4th side (should the house be darker? Although the other chooks used to lay fine...) They sleep on a high shelf with pine shavings (my other hens used to lay their eggs on this shelf as well as sleep) but there is also a covered in box on ground level that has pine shavings in it that no one uses!

The younger chooks sleep together on a lower shelf.

We are in Western Australia and have just hit Autumn, it's about 16 - 20 degrees celcius at night and 24 - 36 degrees during the day.

 

[kstaven]

Hitting 6 months before laying is not unusual. introducing new birds may slow them down by a few weeks until the new flock structure is worked out. I would also be checking under everything in the yard for hidden eggs.

 

[Oz Chook]

A hunting I shall go!

I thought the new babies might have thown it out a little, especially on the the first day when the 8 week old Silky Bantum leapt up to try and peck the 6 month old Light Sussex on the top of HER head!

Interesting moment!

Thanks for getting back to me so quick, I'll let you know if we get any 'progress'.

By the way, does weather have any effect?