# Chickens aren't laying



## mandi (May 10, 2013)

I have a mixture, golden star, leghorn, barred Plymouth Rock, and silkie bantams. They are all 27 weeks and still no layers! I know my silkies will take longer but the others should be laying! I feed them laying pellets they have nice nesting boxes full of straw. Any tips to help encourage them?


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

You should be getting some eggs any day. If the day light hours are shorter already where you are like it is where I am, that plays a huge factor in how soon they lay. They need 14 hours of day light to lay eggs consistently.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Yup, light plays a huge factor in laying. If you dont already you may want to add supplemental light. It can be as low as a 25 - 40 watt light to help extend the day light hours. It can take a couple weeks for the light to take effect if your girls are ready to lay.


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## mandi (May 10, 2013)

I am in Arizona so it's still warm highs around 80 lows around 50. I did look up daylight hours and they've been about 11hrs this week. Does the warm temperature make a difference or is it just a matter of daylight hours?


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Its a matter of daylight hours. The heat itself wont really affect them until its really hot and thats only and "if" it affects them type thing. Some birds can handle the heat some not. I would try to lengthen your hours to at least 14 of light and give it a few weeks.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

I have a strand of white led Christmas lights in my coop strung from the ceiling. When we get those short days, I turn that on for them. Super easy on the electric bill too.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

7chicks said:


> I have a strand of white led Christmas lights in my coop strung from the ceiling. When we get those short days, I turn that on for them. Super easy on the electric bill too.


I like that idea ! I think I will be changing my lights next payday!


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## mandi (May 10, 2013)

I came home to a surprise tonight! They're tiny and they didn't use their nesting boxes and I couldn't be happier! Any tricks to get them to go up stairs and use their boxes instead of laying them in the dirt?


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## ten-acre-farms (Oct 3, 2013)

I painted some egg shaped rocks white and put really deep nesting materiel in the boxes. My girls started laying in the boxes when I did that


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## calebpayne70 (Oct 6, 2013)

That is because of the colder weather means not enough sunlight because in order for a chicken to lay they need 14 hours of sunlight and colder means shorter days with less sunlight


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## jacksonT (Jul 14, 2013)

I've read in my poultry books that most hens will lay their first eggs on the floor. Give it a week and they will be in the nests.


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