The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: yorksfarmer on September 25, 2008, 11:52:56 am
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Hi all, our 2 light sussex still haven't started laying yet. They are about 24 weeks old and have settled in to there rather large coupe very nicely. You could comfortubly fit about 30 chickens in it so space isn't an issue. They are on layers pellets and have plently of fresh water and feed along with a diet of grass and anything else they find in the garden. They seem content enough so not sure why ther not laying yet. Keep telling them xmas is on its way!!! Anyone any ideas?
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My light sussex didn't start laying until they were about 26 weeks.
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:D Good - someone else who isn't getting any eggs yet from chooks that "should" be laying. I'm with you on the Xmas round the corner thing as I'm getting a bit "freeloaders" with mine! I can't get all sentimental and emotional with them - they are dumb birds afterall and if they don't start earning their keep then they will be on the table for Xmas...or at least 2 of them will, the other 3 are on a final written warning!
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I think two of mine from Carol must be about 26 weeks at least and still no eggs from them. My ducks aren't laying just now either but that's because they are re-feathering for the winter. They should start again at the end of the month. I'm having more luck with my sweet little ex batts - look like RHRs I think. Even after the trauma they've been through I'm getting at least one a day from the six of them and they have virtually NO feathers!
Annie
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Oh well least I'm not the only one waiting for eggs at the minute. Hoping my other 8 Buff orpingtons do better when they get a bit older (only 4 weeks old at the minute).
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It took my Black Rocks a long time but they get there in the end. I have three and I only get two eggs a day as yet so I am not sure if they are all laying, I am sure two of them are as I have seen them get of there nest.....I think mine were about 26 weeks, I lost track to be honest....Sandy
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Hello there,
I seem to be having the same probs. I have chooks who hatched 24 weeks ago and no sign of eggs. From an earlier hatch now having just one welsummer laying. Beginning to loose hope, so glad to hear I am not the only one with poor layers! I despatched 2 cockerels last week as i did not know whether they were harassing the chickens- and they were eating me out of house and home! Hopefully will get some eggs soon !
Elaine
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Hi all, anybody had any eggs yet? Told me two light sussex they will be renamed next week if no eggs. Xmas day and boxing day!!!!!!!!!!
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I'm with ya buddy - I've got 5 Black Rocks who are now 26 weeks & 1 day old and have produced nothing except poo. I have given them a pep talk, I've waggled my finger at them, I've put marble eggs in the nest boxes, I've put Hempcore in this weekend, and I am now going to go out and introduce them to my crock pot and explain in no uncertain terms that this is their soon to be final resting place if they don't start earning their keep.
I am sure to be met with much clucking and that wierd chicken walk that seems to suggest that their heads are inextricably connected to their feet, yet I feel that it will be to no avail.
Anyway, eggs are soooooo last decade......?!
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Same boat over here as well my hens are 24 weeks old and nothing... not even a sorry we missed you note.... I have 19 barred rocks. last go round they started laying at 22 weeks, but these girls are taking their sweet time :chook: (I figure mine are not laying as they are worried about the world wide finacial crisis) I asked around the barn and was told that they are not a union shop, so I might be able to lower wages or lessen vacation time, has this worked for anyone else? ???
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The last lot of silkie x's we had started laying at around 20 weeks, only a couple a week but better than nothing. Found the buff orpingtons in the large light sussex coup this morning and the light sussex in the buffs coup. Something about the grass been greener!!!
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Our three Copper Black Marans are 25 weeks - we had one very small egg about three weeks ago, maybe, then nothing. Tried it, didn't like it, I think , was their attitude.
Today we got one beautiful dark brown Maran egg. Hopefully the first of many!
Maybe it's just been the rotten weather....
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I've just been reminded by Carol (who I got my chooks from, and just remembered I had money for her tonight and forgot to give it her :o) that chickens need at least 10 to 12 hours of light to lay. I had mine in a barn back in Aberdeenshire with lights on a timer, but here they are in a shed with no power. Guess I won't get eggs till Spring now. Maybe that's the answer for the rest of you?
Annie
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Hi, I have 3 laying hens, a light sussex, warren and white leghorn, they all are 18 months + old and have layed well up untill about 3 weeks ago, the shorter days means that I only expect the odd egg now through the winter months. As yours are young I would expect that you wont see any eggs till spring! What a shame. We were lucky, we bought ours in spring time at POL so had a summer of eggs before they stopped laying. Previously we had hybrids which layed an egg a day virtually all year, trouble is they "dry up" at a younger age, so you end up with unproductive hens as pets, or have to cull them depending on the space you have. My sussex is going through the moult which also affects egg production. I will have to buy eggs soon!! AARRRGGG :)
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welcome back to the forum kev
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Two things:
1) WE GOT AN EGG! So now we are waiting for the other 18 to start poppin them out and if I'm figuring correctly that would put us around $7,200 a dozen. (Not bad for farm fresh eggs, if I do say so myself lol)
2) Is that really him?
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Well all 14 of our chooks are at an age where they should be laying and the buff orpingtons are meant to lay through the winter but still nothing. They seem more interested in teasing the ferrets and playing leap frog than laying eggs. There is a big light above there coup so light shouldn't be a problem, just have to wait till spring and see if anything happens. Anyone else had any joy yet?
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No, only one ex batt egg a day here. But it is VERY wet, and they are miserable. My ex batts are getting porridge in the morning as well as their layers pellets, so maybe the light sussex should get the same and I might get one more egg. ;) I'm definitely going to get a solar light to try that. My pretty solar garden lamps are still getting enough sun to glow - but they are alternating blue, read and green so not much use in the chicken shed. ;) :D