so i got some rir's from the farmers market about 6 monthes ago. at the ime they were supposed to be about 4 monthes old. i feed them a laying crumble and give them water everyday i built them nesting boxes and filled them with pine shavings. no sign of them laying yet. any ideas?

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They're roosters?

negative on them being roosters....although that would be funny

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They're roosters?

That's what I'm thinkin..

negative on them being roosters....although that would be funny

Chickens? I thought roosters were male :confused:

roosters are male....i do not have them. i have hens

roosters are male....i do not have them. i have hens
How do you know they are hens?

they were sold to me as hens (pullets actually) and they look like hens. and if there were 4 roosters i would think they would probably be fighting each other, and none of them crow

they were sold to me as hens (pullets actually) and they look like hens. and if there were 4 roosters i would think they would probably be fighting each other, and none of them crow

Sometimes they dont lay the eggs in their boxes, often you'll find them in other areas... have you looked aruond really good for other places they could be laying the eggs? Also are they molting (looking a big shabby)? Sometimes they dont lay when molting. RIR's are beautiful birds!! :buddies:

yeah i really enjoy having them(wis they would give me some eggs) and they are really friendly. i have seen where they spread out the pine shavings and kinda made a hole in them to sit in....but no eggs yet. i was considering sells them but i think ill just wait it out....do you think it would help if i put a normal egg in there or got a allrdy laying rir to show them what to do or something? just an idea

yeah i really enjoy having them(wis they would give me some eggs) and they are really friendly. i have seen where they spread out the pine shavings and kinda made a hole in them to sit in....but no eggs yet. i was considering sells them but i think ill just wait it out....do you think it would help if i put a normal egg in there or got a allrdy laying rir to show them what to do or something? just an idea

I always feed my chickens the "laying mesh" from Stauffer's feedmill in Loveville. That's the bomb! You won't know what to do with all the eggs they'll be laying. Some of the chickens sometimes laid 2 eggs a day.

Maybe you need to squeeze them harder..

If they aren't laying then they should be frying...

http://www.i4at.org/lib2/chickens.htm

Try vinegar in the water. That works after a molt when they won't go back to laying.

Are they free-ranging or cooped? If they're ranging, then I'm sure they're laying somewhere hidden. And chickens don't need to be showed how to lay, it's natural. Not sure what the issue is if they're cooped up and not free-ranging.

they are cooped. i think im gonna just have to wait it out longer. not like they are expensive to maintain. so if they dont lay eggs in a few monthes then ill just have to eat them

they are cooped. i think im gonna just have to wait it out longer. not like they are expensive to maintain. so if they dont lay eggs in a few monthes then ill just have to eat them

Do you think any of them are eating the eggs? I've got one now that does it, and she's toast very soon.

i have heard of that happening. i dont think they are i check on them daily. never see them brooding or anything. they just seem content to eat and sleep

i have heard of that happening. i dont think they are i check on them daily. never see them brooding or anything. they just seem content to eat and sleep

Can you post some pictures of them? Are they getting enough light in their coop? Do you have windows or artificial light?

i made like a 12 by 12 (approx) chicken wire walled in area attached to my back porch. so the have a good outside cycle of light and dark. the back corner of the pen i have some nesting boxes and perches and i think they feel pretty safe in there. ive never actually seen them in the nesting boxes but they have been in there because they like to move the pine shavings all around

I just LOVED the last section !!! ROFLOL !!!!!!

http://www.i4at.org/lib2/chickens.htm

Do they have an enlcosed building or similar enclosure to go into to sleep at night? All chickens that I have known of like to go into a darkened place to lay and that darkened place is usually where they sleep at night also. Realizing that it's not Winter where they might NEED shelter, but mine use it every night when they go to bed.

I do have older hens that are laying, however last year some of the pullets never did start laying until the following Spring but I'm pretty sure it's because they were polish divas LOL.

I also have some pullets and I'm waiting for them to lay. The oldest ones are now 12 weeks and no eggs yet (next younger ones are 10 weeks, then I have some that are about 8 weeks) so I am hoping to get eggs by Oct/Nov from the good layers and the polish divas may wait until Spring?


i made like a 12 by 12 (approx) chicken wire walled in area attached to my back porch. so the have a good outside cycle of light and dark. the back corner of the pen i have some nesting boxes and perches and i think they feel pretty safe in there. ive never actually seen them in the nesting boxes but they have been in there because they like to move the pine shavings all around

Do they have an enlcosed building or similar enclosure to go into to sleep at night? All chickens that I have known of like to go into a darkened place to lay and that darkened place is usually where they sleep at night also. Realizing that it's not Winter where they might NEED shelter, but mine use it every night when they go to bed.

I do have older hens that are laying, however last year some of the pullets never did start laying until the following Spring but I'm pretty sure it's because they were polish divas LOL.

I also have some pullets and I'm waiting for them to lay. The oldest ones are now 12 weeks and no eggs yet (next younger ones are 10 weeks, then I have some that are about 8 weeks) so I am hoping to get eggs by Oct/Nov from the good layers and the polish divas may wait until Spring?

Pullets will not start laying until at least 18 wks and really more like 20-22 if you are free ranging them. They mature slower as free range which is healthier for them, but more expensive which is why the big companies battery cage their chickens.

Hey ve2dict, any eggs yet? What percent protein is the layer feed they're getting? Around 16% or so? Try switching them to a 20 or 22% protein feed and see if that makes a difference.

I had mine on a higher protein feed but discovered it was lower in calcium so the shells were thinner. Mine stopped laying while ON the higher protein feed actually (well but for a few eggs a day out of 20 hens). I have since switched to a layer feed which is 16% protein. I think they are still in the molting stage? Seems to take a while?

Hey ve2dict, any eggs yet? What percent protein is the layer feed they're getting? Around 16% or so? Try switching them to a 20 or 22% protein feed and see if that makes a difference.

I had mine on a higher protein feed but discovered it was lower in calcium so the shells were thinner. Mine stopped laying while ON the higher protein feed actually (well but for a few eggs a day out of 20 hens). I have since switched to a layer feed which is 16% protein. I think they are still in the molting stage? Seems to take a while?

Sometimes pullets need that higher protein to start laying. My layers were eating the broiler feed for a while (higher protein) and their laying didn't slow down at all. You can also supplement with oyster shell if you want to increase the calcium due to decreased levels in the feed.

Molting can take a while...some of mine have been molting for almost 2 months.

I have eggs to sell to supplement the rescue funding, so I hope they start laying again soon ...... I'm hoping to have 2 dozen a day once the pullets start laying and the hens are back on track.

Mine seems to have been molting about 2 months also.

Sometimes pullets need that higher protein to start laying. My layers were eating the broiler feed for a while (higher protein) and their laying didn't slow down at all. You can also supplement with oyster shell if you want to increase the calcium due to decreased levels in the feed.

Molting can take a while...some of mine have been molting for almost 2 months.

Any eggs yet? :tap: Are they getting fruit? Sometimes fruit will make them stop laying.

Have had anywhere from 2-4 eggs a day - today had 5 wow.

Any eggs yet? :tap: Are they getting fruit? Sometimes fruit will make them stop laying.

Have had anywhere from 2-4 eggs a day - today had 5 wow.

I was mainly talking to ve2dict, since his haven't laid at all. Glad you're getting eggs though. :lol:

whoops sorrry - with all this rain I am so glad I opted for a roof over the main chicken area - problem is my gutter is only half installed, so the water runs off the roof and splashes down and into the bedding inside the pen. I can just hear the hens now complaining ......

You know I still don't hear ANY crowing yet from the juveniles, nor do I see any rooster behavior either so I still don't know which ones I have to separate. I do see what LOOK like tail feathers on a couple of them.

Today might be a good day to take some time to sit in the pen and watch the interactions to maybe figure out who the boys are?

I was mainly talking to ve2dict, since his haven't laid at all. Glad you're getting eggs though. :lol: