When are chickens supposed to start laying

[neelie nix]

Hello everyone
I have 4 Plymouth rocks and I got them around Easter or shortly there after. when are they supposed to start laying?? when do i need to start feed them an additive to help speed this process?

 

[Mrs. K]

Enough time is the only thing that affects this process. Different breed lay at different ages. A rule of thumb is 5-6 months old. After they start laying you can switch to layer feed, but that just keeps eggshell strong. It does not make them lay sooner.

Things to look for:

• The comb turns bright red (while this is exciting, it is still a couple of weeks out to their 1st egg)
• When you come into the run, they squat down for you so that you can pet them, (this is a very good sign, and usually it is less than 2 weeks that you get your first egg)

Mrs K

 

[bobbi-j]

I got my pullets 3 days after you got yours. I'm still waiting, too. I've been looking, though, and their combs and wattles are getting more and more red, so it won't be long before I'm swimming in eggs. (Although it won't be too long before the "old girls" quit laying. They're 3 years old, and there are 6 of them. There are around 20 or so pullets) Not sure what I'm going to do with them all yet, but I am considering freezing a bunch. My grown kids like them, and I have friends and neighbors always willing to take some off my hands.

 

[Davey4000]

I got 6 Golden Comet pullets as chicks on 3/15. One started laying about two weeks ago. I have 3 laying now and 3 that have not started yet.

 

[chickens really]

My Barred Rocks started laying at 16 weeks, so pretty much around that time? Look for Red combs and Wattles.