Will they ever start laying?

[tbest5179]

Perhaps I'm just impatient - I hope that's all it is! My 25-week-old RIR and Australorps (2 of each) have not yet started laying. I have 2 silkies who are broody and not laying. I have no eggs! They all seem healthy, but being a little new at this, I fear I'm missing something. Should I check anything? Will they start laying when the time is right or is there ever a situation in which they wont start laying?

 

[debilorrah]

Be patient dear!!! 26 weeks is the AVERAGE age they start laying. Many wait longer than that. My RIR's layed at 27 weeks. Silkies are fickle - they go broody often and no bird lays when they are broody. Hope this helps you!

 

[kimbobim]

When were your birds hatched? I have 3 RIRs that were hatched in the last week of October. Lucy started laying on May 4, Tinkerbelle (or Ginger, I still can't those two apart) started May 8, and the third hasn't started yet. We also have two younger birds - 1 BR, 1 Australorp - that hatched in mid-February, so I'm not counting on getting anything from them until July at the earliest.

How big are your girls' combs? My RIRs' combs and wattles turned bright red and grew very fast right before they started laying - just a week or two.

Good luck! I know it's hard to wait - I keep telling myself that for now they're earning their keep by keeping the bug population down (we let them free range most of the day in our 1/2 acre back yard).

 

[bigcats]

I was anxious to get started too, and got "6 month old laying hens" expressly so I wouldn't have to wait. But I had to wait anyway, 3 weeks with the Sexlink, and still waiting 4+ weeks later with the Silkie.

I just kept telling myself that it was unlikely to have gotten two "egg duds" on my first attempt at this, so I should just be patient. With 4, you're even less likely.

My Sexlink hasn't missed a day since she began!

 

[tbest5179]

Thank you! I'll just try to be more patient and look forward to the good things to come!