# Where the Hell are my chicken eggs?



## pioneerMan (Jun 26, 2021)

I got my chicks in the spring and they are all grown up now. No eggs have been forthcoming. What is going on with my girls? Perhaps chasing them with a rake has scarred them for life?


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Why the hell would you be chasing them with a rake?


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

Uh. Have they ever laid eggs? If you are waiting for them to start, My chickens have never laid till 9-13 months. But I don't have those high production hatchery birds. Patience is key. They'll lay eventually. No there is nothing wrong. Different birds mature and lay at different rates.

What's with the rake?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Spring is a wide open time frame. When in Spring did you get them? Do you see their combs turning red yet?


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Hahaha I can imagine trying to get them rounded up could occasion a rake for extra reach and scaring power! I’ve used sticks I won’t lie!  

It’ll be at least 6 months maybe more if they’re all new layers. Or at least try to give them that long if they haven’t already. ‘Spring’ is kinda subjective there Bud. March or May makes a big difference you know? So how old are they now?

*jinx Robin


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

I hear that it you chase a chicken they'll stop laying/won't start. Don't know how true that is. They'll lay in their own time.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

There is truth that stress will prevent them.

NEED. MORE. INFO! Lol


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

Probably scared the crap out of them and stressed them all. But first off why the heck did u chase them with a rake?
And wait how old are they? You surely can't expect them to lay so soon.. You have to give them all a little more time probably. What breeds are they all? That might tell you something right there. Easter eggers and brahmas usually won't lay till a little later. usually brahmas are 6 or 7 months and EE's are around 8 to 12 months.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

If chasing chickens with a rake or stick would cause them to not lay, I'd never get an egg. I have a pole that extends to at least ten feet made of aluminum that I use on a regular basis to round up the birds at night. I used to use the rake and it never caused the birds to not lay.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

danathome said:


> If chasing chickens with a rake or stick would cause them to not lay, I'd never get an egg. I have a pole that extends to at least ten feet made of aluminum that I use on a regular basis to round up the birds at night. I used to use the rake and it never caused the birds to not lay.


Oh really?


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Animals45 said:


> Oh really?


Really, but there are those that won't move even with the rake/stick/pole and it's just easier to carry the silly things to the coop.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

danathome said:


> Really, but there are those that won't move even with the rake/stick/pole and it's just easier to carry the silly things to the coop.


Oh, yup.. Some will just sit there and chicken out, like I'm not moving sorry.. Mine'll just go to the coop, hop in there sit on their roosting bar and go to sleep, So easy for me.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Most of the chickens go in on their own now, but turkeys and ducks; depends on their mood I guess. I'd leave them out except some are rather expensive and impossible to replace. The peafowl and one muscovy fly to the tree tops; a good safe place.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

danathome said:


> Most of the chickens go in on their own now, but turkeys and ducks; depends on their mood I guess. I'd leave them out except some are rather expensive and impossible to replace. The peafowl and one muscovy fly to the tree tops; a good safe place.


Oh wow, Yep, my neighbors chickens used to fly in their trees and sleep in there.


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## pioneerMan (Jun 26, 2021)

I chased them with a rake to help get them where they needed to be. They are dumb birds and don't always realize there is safety in the chicken run, and I'm just trying to help them get in there so a coyote doesn't get them at night.

Looking at my receipt, it looks like I purchased the chicks at the first of May. So it looks like it will be several more weeks before eggs start to show up.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

pioneerMan said:


> I chased them with a rake to help get them where they needed to be. They are dumb birds and don't always realize there is safety in the chicken run, and I'm just trying to help them get in there so a coyote doesn't get them at night.
> 
> Looking at my receipt, it looks like I purchased the chicks at the first of May. So it looks like it will be several more weeks before eggs start to show up.


Ok, I see and understand for that matter. Should be a few more weeks till they start laying? Know any of their breeds?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Watch for their combs to begin to redden. That's the first alert you'll have that they're getting close.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Watch for their combs to begin to redden. That's the first alert you'll have that they're getting close.


Yep, all mine are dark red but no eggs..


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Yeah depends on breed how early exactly they’ll redden before lay. 

Dan, I was about to post the same thing. I just hadn’t had time earlier today for the full answer lol. Yes stress can cause them not to and if they got chased like readily excessively then maybe no lay. Maybe. Depends. Lol. 
Silly birds don’t know what’s best for them half the time.


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## ChickenMom24 (Feb 14, 2021)

Of my two spring girls, only one is laying now. I think she is on her third egg now, and they are pretty little yet.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

ChickenMom24 said:


> Of my two spring girls, only one is laying now. I think she is on her third egg now, and they are pretty little yet.


Yep, aren't they so small? When I had to chickens before I moved to my new house, when they first layed their eggs they were probably smaller than wild birds eggs, but then by time their eggs will develop more..


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## ChickenMom24 (Feb 14, 2021)

Animals45 said:


> Yep, aren't they so small? When I had to chickens before I moved to my new house, when they first layed their eggs they were probably smaller than wild birds eggs, but then by time their eggs will develop more..


Yeah, her eggs are so cute! They are even smaller than the silkie eggs.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

ChickenMom24 said:


> Yeah, her eggs are so cute! They are even smaller than the silkie eggs.


Haha! I'm still in love with those small eggs. I'm not sure but are bantams known for laying smaller eggs?


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## chickenpersoon (Sep 11, 2021)

pioneerMan said:


> I got my chicks in the spring and they are all grown up now. No eggs have been forthcoming. What is going on with my girls? Perhaps chasing them with a rake has scarred them for life?


I have an easter egger who is 7 months old and I haven't gotten a single egg from her... i would not worry or mad... some don't start laying until 8 or 9 months old, give them time.


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## chickenpersoon (Sep 11, 2021)

Overmountain1 said:


> Hahaha I can imagine trying to get them rounded up could occasion a rake for extra reach and scaring power! I’ve used sticks I won’t lie!
> 
> It’ll be at least 6 months maybe more if they’re all new layers. Or at least try to give them that long if they haven’t already. ‘Spring’ is kinda subjective there Bud. March or May makes a big difference you know? So how old are they now?
> 
> *jinx Robin


Same! Sticks always are a go to/ lol


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## samalldridge (Nov 2, 2021)

Would like to revive this thread for a moment for some advice/reassurance.
I am totally new to keeping chickens - and picked up 3 pullets back in August. I believe that they were around 18 weeks at that point (or atleast, that's what I was told)
It is now November so they must be roughly 30 weeks old and still no eggs. I mistakenly had them on layer feed for a while and now they are back on starter feed.
They are Light Sussex hens. Do I just need to be patient, or am I doing something wrong?


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## ChickenBiscuts (May 28, 2021)

samalldridge said:


> Would like to revive this thread for a moment for some advice/reassurance.
> I am totally new to keeping chickens - and picked up 3 pullets back in August. I believe that they were around 18 weeks at that point (or atleast, that's what I was told)
> It is now November so they must be roughly 30 weeks old and still no eggs. I mistakenly had them on layer feed for a while and now they are back on starter feed.
> They are Light Sussex hens. Do I just need to be patient, or am I doing something wrong?
> ...


Patience is key.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yeah, their combs are nice and bright. Any day now. Of course that's if they don't have a hidden nest somewhere.


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## lovely_chooks (Mar 19, 2021)

Maybe they are hiding the eggs and you don’t know it. Or maybe they just take longer to lay just wait a bit more.


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## HSJ07 (Aug 25, 2020)

pioneerMan said:


> I got my chicks in the spring and they are all grown up now. No eggs have been forthcoming. What is going on with my girls? Perhaps chasing them with a rake has scarred them for life?


Chasing chickens with a rake is not a smart thing to do.


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