When will my chickens lay eggs?
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Chickens | 661 comments
Even though I know that egg laying is unpredictable at this time of year, it’s always a bit disappointing when I lift the lid of the nesting box and there’s only one. An egg from Carol. She is firing on all cylinders now and producing one egg a day, the maximum that a domestic hen can produce.
“What’s going on with the other four chickens?” I think as I stump back through the garden in my dressing gown and wellies.
The other four chickens are elderly maidens, well into their third year. I know that after two years egg production diminishes but somehow I hoped that the organic food and beautiful adornments in the pen might make a difference. Of course they don’t. As the years roll by, the chickens will produce fewer and fewer eggs until they go to that great pecking ground in the sky.
The pretty white bantams, have never been very obliging on the egg laying front. In their prime, they probably only laid two or three eggs a week. They are not a laying strain and we knew this when we bought them. But we have discovered that they are very photogenic and are happy to model endlessly.
I’ve been checking the hen’s combs. A pink comb indicates that a chicken is going broody, and will not lay. They are all a bright vibrant red, including Mrs Boss (this chicken won The Broodiest of all Known Chickens Award 2004, 2005 and 2006).
So you can imagine my delight when I lifted the roof of the nesting box this morning and found two small eggs nestling beside Carol’s large speckled brown one. I sprang back to the kitchen to make the perfect breakfast omelette.
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Hello, I too have garden pet chickens. They have put life into my garden here in the UK and I now spend much of my time keeping them company. I have had them since the start of this summer,(2011). I now have six eggs every morning,but one brown hen has not started. She is a loner and very quiet. Her crown is still very small and a pale pink. Should I take her to the vet? She does eat, but not as much as the other 6 chickens. Thank you.
Hi Gillian
Sometimes hens take quite a lot longer to mature and lay eggs. The fact that her comb is pink indicates this. As the days are shortening I reckon that she might not lay until the days start to lengthen again. No need to worry – just be patient.
All the hens are laying age except the Buff’s. They are fed laying crumbles chicken scaps are only used as a treat and usually isn’t much. I have Pine flakes so I guess I change the litter. Also I am planning on building nesting boxed the milk crates were just easy at the time.
Sometimes when they are laying age in the autumn they just don’t lay until the spring. Egg laying starts to fall of with older hens as the day shortens. We got our first POL hens one August and it was January before we got the first egg. You may be lucky but I’d prepare to be patient, just in case. You are not doing anything wrong!
I just bought 4 golden comets, 2 brown leghorns, 1 barred rock, and 2 young buff orpingtons. I have them set up in a dog kennel in the back yard with a modified large wooden dog house. I put a roost in the top of it and 2 milk crates on the floor. I bought all these girls from the same place who raise free ranged chickens. Its been a week now and no eggs. I put a golf ball in one of the crates but all they do is bury it. I haven’t seen any of them sitting or in the boxes. Why haven’t I gotten any eggs? Also I noticed that the barred is blowing snot bubbles and sneezing alot. I have them on straw and am feeding them a mixture of chicken feed and table scraps, along with a few mealworms here and there. We are really wanting to try and stay antibiotic free. Please help.
Hi Amy
Chickens are very senseitive to change so the move to their new home would have rattled them. You don’t mention how old they are – did you buy them at point of lay. It might be worth giving the breeder a call as to there ages and also the sneezing of the barred. She could be allergic to straw – we have our chickens on woodchips (the sort used for horses and rabbits). They need to be fed layers pellets – kitchen scraps should be kept to a minimum.
I have a dozen or so chickens varying types. I bought them all in the two weeks before Easter. I’m feeding them laying pellets, oyster shell, grapes, blue berries, cabbage lettuce, and lots of fresh corn. They have two coops and they free range, but still no eggs. When should I expect them. I live in south Georgia so it’s hot
I got 3 pullets that hatched around Easter. I live in a subtropical climate and it has been a hot summer. I don’t have any roosters. They are about 20 weeks old. A couple weeks ago I noticed feathers in the coop. Are they moulting? Can you tell me when my hens will lay?
Hi, We have just got 6 more chickens to add to the 2 that we had already, These 6 are about
16-18 weeks old, the women we got them of didnt say if they were laying yet? Should they be laying, If not how long would we have to wait? Thanks
HI NICOLE HERE AGAIN. ASWELL AS HELPING WITH MY QUESTION ABOVE WE ARE THINKING OF GETTING A COCKREL NOT FOR BREEDING BUT TO HELP KEEP THE FOUR GIRLS SAFE FROM PREDATORS.IS THERE A GOOD AGE TO LOOK FOR WHEN INTRODUCING ONE TO EXISTING YOUNGISH HENS AND DOES IT MATTER IF IS A DIFFERENT BREED TO ANY OF THEM ie:GOLDEN BRAMHA?
oops I meant Sussex
We are new to raising hens. We have 5 Speckled Suxxes that hatched July 15th. I know that it takes a few month for them to start laying. Which will be around November or December(I think). My questions is We live in Washington state will the cold weather hinder their laying or will they still lay?
hi,
my family and i are very new to keeping hens. we have 1 rhode isl red, 1 speckled sussex, 1 buff orpington and 1 cuckoo maran. the last two i know are only about 20 wks and so not laying yet but the first two are older maybe 8mths or older and not laying at all. is it too late for them to lay now this year or can i still live in hope. we got all four of them 3/4 wks ago.all have been wormed. thay live in a very spacious run most of the day and are let out in the garden when we are with them most afternoons.