My bet is 8 months.

We got most of our young chicks throughout early april last year, and found the first egg on July 31st (my B-day....lovely gift!). A few eggs began trickling in (4-5 per week) from the 9 hens, and within a six weeks they were laying pretty well, though the eggs were small and double yolkers. A year later, we get 5 or 6 eggs per DAY still (we have had as many as 14 per day), give or take a little for the season. Believe me, you'll be up to your ears in eggs before you know it! Make sure they are on proper feed and have enough light too. How old are they?

Usually hens start laying aroung 20-24 weeks or so, depending on breed.

Are you feeding them layer feed? 16 to 18% is necessary for egg production.

Yes, they're getting layer rations right now, along with lots of fresh greens (they have a large run attached to the coop) and frequent treats (I just can't resist watching them eat watermelon!). I have also been drying and crushing eggshells into their feed for supplemental calcium.

DH is tired of me being "the wife who crieg 'egg'" :)
Every day I tell him I'm sure there will be an egg in one of those nests. I'm seriously antsy!!

We have two Golden Comets (sex-links named Maddie and Lisa) and three Ameracaunas (Fiona, Stella, and Edie). Since I've named them, of course now they will live out their days on our farm and never worry about the hatchet.

They're about 6 months old, give or take a week/two.

Should be any time now...

Next time you buy eggs, carry the carton out into the yard, oepn it, show them the eggs and vocally shame them. Mine started laying almost immediately when I did this. :) It was so funny seeing them gaze at the eggs like, "Oh, yeah--! Eggs!"

Velvet ~:>

Have you tried cider vinegar?

I was having sporadic egg laying this spring, when it should have be fast & furious. And one Ameraucana in partciular hadn't laid one since I got her last fall.

I started putting about 2 tbs. of cider vinegar per gallon in their water, and within 10 days starting laying like crazy, and a blue egg started coming regularly finally. I was given the Ameraucana because she hadn't laid eggs for its previous owner.

Besides, I think it gives them something acidic they need.

M

I agree about the cider vinegar! I always add a few tablespoons to the water along with one or two crushed garlic cloves. Both have antimicrobial properties that are beneficial to the chicken's immune and digestive systems. I have four older Ameraucana's that were laying well until a month ago, then they suddenly stopped. My other breeds are still laying, so I'm not sure why just these girls are on strike! I started giving them calf manna a week ago and I'm really hoping it kick starts them back to laying. I sell the eggs at a farmers market, so with four hens not producing I'm hurting. All the customers love those blue and green eggs!

Thats funny because my "Ameraucanas" lay very rarely....I'll try what was suggested!

I have ducks, but when they stopped laying for three months, I did what Velvet sparrow did, only a little more stern, I let one of them know that I really do like the taste of duck, and since I raise most of my animals for food, except one of my ducks, Annie is my pet. I told her that if she didn't start paying her way around the farm with some more eggs, she would be paying her way on the dinner table, you know what? The next morning she had an egg, and laid one every day for two weeks, then she started to molt. I guess I'll give her a break while she molts. ;)

Another thing I forgot was I switched layer feed.

I was feeding Purina 16% and switched to Blue Seal 16%.
It could have been the feed and/or vinegar. The Blue Seal is cheaper too.
M

Hmmmm........vinegar huh? I have 2 Ameruacanas but one has never laid (no.....it's not a rooster.) Maybe I'll try the vinegar and see what happens.

Any eggs yet?

If Velvet's suggestion doesn't work, try this:

Get your biggest soup pot and a ladle. Find your butcher knife and sharpening steel. Proceed to the chicken coop. Call The Ladies together and then hammer on the soup pot with ladle. Chant : "Eggs! Eggs! I need eggs!" Sharpen your knife in front of them. Brandish it and holler: "I LOVE chicken soup!"

If that doesn't work, here is an "old wives tale" solution. Put golf balls or nest eggs in the nest box. It may prompt the hens to start laying, assuming they are physically ready. Before you pooh-pooh this idea... just think about how many old wives raised chickens!

Vinegar in the water? Actually that may indeed be benefical for better egg laying and general good health especially during the summer. When the weather is hot, chickens pant. When they pant the Ph of their bodies change probably in the direction of alkalinity. It is my opinion this is one reason why egg production is down during the hot summer months. A shot or two of Apple Cider vinegar in their water may just help bring their bodies back into Ph balance. If there are any Poultry Science grad students out there this topic would make for a nice masters thesis.

Mike in TN