[Under The Hill]

We got three chickens 5 weeks ago quite young POL chickens, a white sussex, a brown ranger and a skyline.  The white sussex started laying immediately and bless her we get one just about every day but the other two we have had nothing.   I did have a couple of shell-less eggs one morning and then another a few days later (this was about two weeks ago) but we were not sure if these were from the white sussex, surely she could not have laid two shell-less eggs within hours of each other?  They all seem very healthy, the white sussex is a bit bigger than the other two so perhaps that means she is a bit older?   And I keep finding small brown feathers so I presume that means the brown ranger and the skyline are molting, but only about 4 or 5 a night?    Is this just normal?  Do I just need to be patient?   They are allowed to free range for at least 4 hours a day so get lots of grass and have quite a big pen.  And I am feeding them layers mash and they have oyster shell in the grit.  Is there anything else I should be doing? 
 

[joyfull]

chickens will lay when they are ready - they may not even lay now until the spring.

[Under The Hill]

I have read on some other sites that you can give them cayenne pepper in porridge oats, is this a good idea?

[Springlands]

One of our suppliers will not sell POL at this time of year because customers are disappointed and complain if the chickens do not lay until the spring.

I have never heard of giving chickens cayenne pepper - just poultry spice as a tonic. Never looked at the ingredients wonder if one of them is cayenne. I think though that you would be best to stick to poultry spice as a tonic. 

[Sassy]

Agree Joyfull

[Under The Hill]

Great, I won't worry then and just let them do their thing! To be honest I thought as much but my husband kept nagging me that it couldn't be right that they weren't laying yet  ;)even though it is me who has researched all the details on chickens I let his doubts worry me a bit!     I will get some poultry spice as I have read lots on the benefits.  Thanks for all replies
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