[robinson]

Our 5 girls have now been with us for 3 weeks and were ment to be POL when we got them.  Much to our surprise we got one egg on day one and by day 7 had a second.  The original layer has carried on almost every day until 2 days ago.  2 others have laid as the eggs are quite different but have now not laid for over a week.  The other 2 appear to be much younger.  What could I be doing wrong that has stopped them from giving me lovely eggs?

[lucylou]

ive had my POL banties for at least 8 weeks - meant to be POL and i get 2 eggs every other day off them! its the same 2 laying but not exactly prolific! My Oh took a lot of persuading to get the hens but the thought of fresh eggs every day swayed it! he keeps on asking 'how many eggs today?'  im still optimistic and check the boxes in the hopes that there might be 3 there one day

[themagicaltoad1]

Banties can take anything up to 35 wks to lay, and any chicken when she starts can be a bit erratic until they get the hang of it. I have 3 bantams and got my first egg yesterday from my eldest hen who's approx 26 wks.

[iwantanallotment]

I'm guilty too, checking the box every day and moaning when it's bare 

But I think we just have to relax, be patient and realise that POL doesn't mean they're going to drop eggs as soon as we get them home. It just means that they're old enough to lay - doesn't mean they're ready!
I see egg laying like girls starting periods.....sorry men, turn the page now.....but it's true - each is an individual and matures at a different rate, even if the same age 

And as we all know, pure breeds take a lot longer than hybrids.

But I'm still gonna moan if no eggs in the morning 

In fact, think I'm nipping down to Northants & pinching Ice's girl 

[hillfooter]

This time of year with many hens being in moult and with the nights drawing in and the weather being very changable, hot one day then cold and wet or windy, even mature layers will vary their production wildly.  My 18month old birds currently are laying twice as many eggs than they were just a week or two ago as the weather has gone from cold and windy to warm and more settled.  POL production will be particularly erratic.
Regards

[Callie]

be patient, I know it's hard lol but we had ours the last week in June, the first week they laid 22 eggs, then the whole of July was 15, August was 51 and already this month we've had 52 eggs. 

Most of July we spent wondering what were doing wrong but I think it takes some longer to settle and become happy and content enough to lay regularly