[Neene]

This is my first post so firstly I must say how much I have enjoyed & learnt from reading all the postings, thanks for great advice! I have had 2 hens for 7 weeks now,a Sussex & a Warren, bought as POL & told it would be 2-3 weeks before they laid well I am still waiting! They seem happy enough we are getting great pleasure from them as pets but I would like some eggs! The Sussex is moulting at present so I assume from what I have been reading she wont lay as yet but is it right for her to moult so young?

[Vember]

Hi Neene

Welcome to the forums

Some photo's of your girls would be really helpful will be able to get an idea if they are POL.

Combs on Hens coming into lay are normally very red.
Do they appear ok other than not laying? ie are they eating drinking?
What are you feeding them? Do they have access to oyster shell & grit?
Have you checked all over them to make sure they haven't got lice/mites?




Sarah

[Neene]

Hi Sarah

Photos will take me ages to show you as not sure how to do it!

They appear very well apart from the not laying aspect I have no concerns about their health, they seem very happy & content. They have free range of our garden and are enjoying the unseasonably warm weather scratting around in my flower beds.
I feed them layer pellets & corn, misture of 50/50 as advised by the daughter of a poultry farmer and they have access to grit but don't seem to bother with it.
The comb on the Sussex, started to go very red last week so we thought she would lay but then she started moulting.
As far as I can see they do not have any lice/mites.
They have been sleeping in the nesting box together at night & in the morning they are on their perch. Last night however when I went to lock them in for the night they were in seperate boxes, very unusual for them. They are generally inseperable even during the day.
Neene  :?

[mumsy]

Hi & welcome
I would have thought that they were a little young to moult always thought it was around 18 months.

[richyrich7]

Knock the corn on the head, feed them nothing but layers for a month, If you can keep them in the run in the morning so they eat the layers before they go out goodie hunting.
Corn makes them fat, fat hens lay less. And when you do start giving it then give it about 1-1/2 before bed time a handful would be ample for 2 birds my 4 get a handful.
Girlies need weight watchers if you want the best out of them  

And welcome to the forums  

[Neene]

This is my attempt at including photos, maybe you can get an indication of their age, the Sussex is definately moulting small feathers but seems quite well & happy.

hope it works!

http://www1.snapfish.co.uk/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=245263403/a=48405409_48405409/t_=48405409

[Neene]

Thanks for the advice richyrich7, I only started mixing the corn with pellets 12 days ago on the advise of the poultry keepers daughter! we had had them 5 weeks then.

Will try keeping them in the pen for the morning, my husband started giving them freedom all day a few weeks ago whilst I was away, I feel guilty keeping them in the pen now.

I never thought I would get so obsessed with hens! We got them as pets really for my daughter, I have an egg every day for breakfast I thought it would be nice to have my own fresh eggs, we have all got extremely attached to these birds though I hope they will give us some eggs soon!

[MontyTom]

Yeah, go for the layers. Also would advise handful of cooked pasta now and again to bulk up for winter - give a few greens hung up too, but definitely more layers to start.

Don't forget, when birds are moved they take a while to settle, plus different breeds take different times to come into lay. Also, as we are going into winter the birds are more reluctant to lay - there is no definite time, e.g. telling people "in 3 weeks". I have some sussex that are due to lay anytime, errr, 4 weeks ago(ish) and still nothing, and they haven't been moved ever.  The irony is I sold one to a local chap and within 2 days it laid. So, just goes to show, they lay when they are ready.

Just be patient and enjoy!

[Bird Brain]

:roll: Late spring born chickens sometimes don't lay until November or December or even next spring. The miserable weather affects them too. Could you have cockerels instead ? (happened to me very recently). :cry:

[Bodger]

I'm not sure that birds described as point of lay should start to moult on you. Infact, I'm sure that they shouldn't.

[chickenlady]

welcome to the forum, your girlies still look very young! especially the warren, my girls have been losing a few feathers (they are 19wks old) but was told they do this when moulting from their baby feathers! hope they start laying soon for you! I have 7 girls and only my 2 ambers are laying at the moment, I have 2 goldlines(warrens) and 1 babcock who are 19 wks and a blubelle and a blackrock who are 16 wks old. I cant wait till they are all laying!!!!

[FCG]

Welcome to the forums Neene, knowing when they are going lay is definitely an inexact science.. I mean look at all the possible reasons listed already. I would advise some sunflower hearts & mixed corn to bulk them up.

[Neene]

Thanks for all your replies, a friend of a friend came round to see them on Saturday, he has several hens and thought they were too young to lay too, so I  will just have to be patient! I just can't wait for my first fresh egg for breakfast.

[matilda duck]

I know what you mean... I have had mine over a week and nothing yet even though they were sold as pol and I was told they were laying?  My ducks are the same age but we had them months ago and the waiting is unbearable :twisted: Just think when they do lay you will love them even more