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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Try getting some bird mite spray from the pet shop and spraying the birds and where they sleep. This worked for me some years back. Could be affecting their laying if they have mites. Good luck
Hi, could someone help me, I have been keeping chickens for approx a year. Igot them as POL and they have been laying everyday for a few months now (I have 2 Warrens). However, I have noticed that 1 is losing her feathers around her bum, and up on her neck, I thourghly scrubbed out thier house and nest, but ever since they have stopped laying. Is the feather loss anything to worry about? her skin looks healthly, her comb is bright red and firm, they are feeding well and have plenty of water. Any advice would be greatfully welcome as I am still learning, and love my girls and would hate to overlook something that could become a major problem if left unchecked.
Thankyou.
xxxx
Hi John
The combs need to be red but it sounds as if they are moving towards laying. You just need to be patient. If you live in the UK they days are getting shorter and this can effect laying.
You are doing nothing wrong. POL hens are often not ready to lay – we made the same mistake 6 years ago. Bought them in August and got our first egg in January.
BTW you can get layers mash – a powdered version of the pellets, they might prefer that. If they are having trouble eating the pellets they must be very young.
Since the last time I posted on this website, I have tried to only feed them layer pellets.
They dont seem to want to eat the pellets but I have crushed the pellets to make to easier to eat.
They do eat a little but not too much.
The chickens have small combs (probably about 1 cm high) that are reddish in colour.
But still no eggs!!!!
I wish I knew what’s going wrong.
The poultry farm I bought them from promised me they would start laying over 2 weeks ago if I just fed them layer pellets.
Hi Chris
Your chickens are clearly not old enough to lay yet – especially as their combs are only just developing. Combs are a bit like noses and can vary amongst a breed.
Please Help!
I posted a comment on the 3rd of June, and as yet still no eggs. What is concerning me is that the combs on the chickens have only just starting to develop and are still not on some, why is this. I have read a number of chicken keeping books and nothing stating reasons why. Advice welcome, thanks Chris.
Hi John
They need the layers pellets/mash as it suits all their nutritional needs. I give a little wild bird seed as treats – also bread (just a bit).
The chickens will eat the layers pellets if this is all that they have to eat. We also give oyster shell to help with the egg shells.
Your hens will lay as soon as they are old enough. POL seems to be a flexible description!
Hello Kim
Yes you are right a pellets corn mix is good too. Thanks for your advice.
Ours did exactly the same and were told to persever with the pellets but mix with corn or mash and it did eventually do the trick. Apparently its important to have the mach/pellets to make the shells????
I got myself 2 hens at point of lay.
That was 3 weeks ago.
Initially they were eating the layer pellets but now they dont want to eat the pellets.
They eat chicken scratch (mixture of seeds) and love bread.
I was told they would settle down in their new home in 2-3 weeks and start laying but not a single egg so far.
Dont know if they’re properly nourished.
Please help
By the way i’m in Melbourne, Australia
Today is the first day of spring. We get almost 12 hours of day light.
Hi Teresa
The size of the crests doesn’t necessarily relate to the age of the hens. S once told me to look at the feet. If the legs are thick and the feet ‘old’ looking steer clear.
I would imagine that the battery lookalikes will take time to settle and lay. The days are getting shorter and they could be used to light 24/7. This encourages them to lay all year but puts a strain on their health.
All I can advise is to be patient. And perhaps buy direct from a reputable breeder next time.