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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I have 5 hens @ 11 weeks old. They are free to rome around the yard. But I want them to go inside the hen house at night. So without me running around the yard like crazy, running after them to get them into the coop. Is there a way to teach them to return at night to the hen house. Should I have a light on at dark so they know to return to the coop
Thanks for all you help
Hi Jane
So pleased that the advice was useful.
I reckon that hens that don’t lay every day have poentially a longer life as they are just working part time. However we lost both outr lavender bantams within the firt two years. So you can’t really predict.
Hi Susan
Everyone loves a cuddle. Even a chicken!
You are caring for your flock and I think that they’ll pick up on that. It’s important and has great results!
Hi Emma
It™s impossible to tell whether your hen was broody.
Egg laying (outside a commercial unit) is never very reliable. If you have a laying breed hen you will get to know her rhythm. With the rest so many things can affect laying “ bad weather, trauma, and the simple fact that the hen is just not a laying breed. There is no normal. Every hen is different.
Hi Travis
58 hens! I can see how this has happened, chickens get under your skin.
Glad that finally you found the first egg. Hooray!
Thanks so much for dropping by. Great to hear how you are getting on.
Hi Sue
Egg laying is not an egg a day from each hen. Some hens will give you this, if they are bred for laying and are in their early years (after 2 years commercial outfits knock them on the head). Most hens will gradually wind down as the summer goes on and the days get shorter.
Also other factors will affect laying patterns “ changeable weather, bullying etc. The days are now getting shorter so your egg count will slowly diminish. However, there migt be other reasons why your hens are not laying as you expect.
The important thing is to spend some time with your flock every day. Even if tis means getting up 15 minutes earlier. Watch them when you are giving them fresh water and feeding them. It™s obvious if there are problems.
Once you know what the problems are you are far more likely to find a solution.
I had 6 chickens and I lost one when it could not walk, they were laying from 1 to 5 a day, but now they are only laying 1 to 3 and not every day some times it will go a couple of days and no eggs they are about 30 weeks old, can you help please
Well finally an egg from one of the pullets. Found it on the ground couple days ago and none of the older hens have been laying on the ground. It was just a bit smaller than the eggs my RIR hens lay. Another one about the same size tonight, but it was in a nest. I read on another site that buff orpington pullets do generally lay a larger than normal pullet egg. Oh and btw, up to 58 birds now. Got 10 about a month old someone needed to get rid of.. all sorts of crosses here.. signs of some cochin, easter egger (green legs – feathers around beak).. may end up getting rid of these new ones.
Hi all, and thanks for the advice re the broody coup. Since my post, our hen has been behaving normally, ranging around as usual, eating / drinking well but still no eggs. Can’t be broody as she is not glued to the nest (she did spend a day on there last week but not since). Is it possible that she had started to go broody but we managed to stop it very early on? or is she just having a break from laying. I have given them all a really lovely clean out today, and she is looking very fit & healthy although her comb is just a tiny bit pinker than usual. Not really worried that she is ill as everything else with her seems fine.
Thanks!
Thanks Fn for the support that you gave me. I sure do hope they will start laying eggs soon. Do you think me holding them and talking to them will help them to relax and settle in?
My 2 kids are calling me a chicken whisper, because when I talk to them they cluck real soft like they understand me and it is very soothing to hear them cluck that soft.
Many thanks for your advice. Our hens are here for their natural life whether they lay or not (they all have names!). I just wondered whether slow layers could potentially have a longer laying life if they aren’t laying as frequently as opposed to the Warren laying every day.As you say it is good to have a mix.
Jane
Hi Emma
I’m sorry I missed your comment.
Your hen could be going broody, it’s difficult to tell. By now you should know as she will be glued to the nest if she is. We have instructions as to how to build an anti broody coop here https://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=289
Hi Yogi
As hens get older they start to go off lay more in the winter months. The tendency to moult will also increase. You are doing nothing wrong.
You just have to be patient. When the days start to get longer again they will start to lay again.
Hi Susan
This often happens when chickens are moved. A few eggs immediately and then nothing for a few weeks whilst they settle in.
Give them a bit of time, they will start laying for you eventually.
sorry every one it was suppose to be no eggs sense the 13th of June that is. HELP PLEASE!!!!!! New to taking care of chickens.
I have a question. We got 2 bantams on June 12, 2008 and that same day and the 13th we had gotten 2 eggs 1 each day, but now it is the 20th of June and now eggs. Can any one answer why they may not be laying eggs I would greatly appreciate the help if possible.