Start to lay?

Judi Reilly · #1 10/07/11, 08:00 PM

Just wondering...my pullets are on their 24th week of life..and not egg 1 yet..am I expecting to much? they are lovely..healthy,,fed..free ranged..just started giving them abit of laying mash and the oyster shells..anything else I should do?? thanks..Judi

VA Susan · #2 10/07/11, 08:37 PM

You could put some golf balls in the nests to show them where to lay They may be laying outside somewhere. Be patient. Ours have taken up to 25 weeks to lay. Our half red star half BO pullet laid her first egg at 16 1/2 weeks. Red stars are bred to be early layers though. Some breeds take longer than others.

ai731 · #3 10/07/11, 09:08 PM

What breed are they? Our dual-purpose hertiage-breed Chantecleres started to lay at 29 weeks...

boundarybunnyco · #4 10/07/11, 09:23 PM

my barred rocks are about the same age. they just started laying this week.

NickieL · #5 10/08/11, 12:20 AM

mine are the same age as yours, they are welsummers, no eggs yet!

Judi Reilly · #6 10/08/11, 04:22 PM

ok..so I will quit fretting...........................for now!! Reading on Back Yard chicken site..and they say the same..chickens are not machines that produce when the button is pushed..so I must push my "patient" button and wait and see..Thanks all for your thoughts...much appreciated!! Judi

NickieL · #7 10/08/11, 04:26 PM

where do i find the patient button? I need one of those lol!

GrannysChickies · #8 10/08/11, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickieL

where do i find the patient button? I need one of those lol!

I have a "newer" Dominique laying now for a little over a month, the other girls about a month behind her and my older ones, not so good...it cooled down here the past few days, but going to go up again into the 90s, guessing they will lay most of the late fall into spring...waiting for those EE's to lay, I want blue eggs