At what age should chickens start laying eggs?

* Probably nothing. Some breeds take longer to begin laying. I wanna say mine started around 32 to 40 weeks. You can start giving them egg shells from the eggs ya buy at the store. Be sure to clean out the shells. Then crush them as much as possible. I give my hens the crushed shells at dinner time. I also feed twice a day. Look up the breeds ya have, online. I know there's another website that will tell ya when the breeds ya have, should start laying. ;-) *
 
I started using an ice cream bucket (like a gallon I think) at about that age for that reason.  It holds enough water that it's too heavy to flip over.  I have been keeping a gatorade bottle of ice in it too to keep it cold in this weather!


I made my own waterer. It was very simple and it cost a little more but it serves my free range chickens as well as the ones I have penned up. Only thing I would do differently is use a bigger pipe and drill holes instead of cutting sections.
400
 
I have 2 Red Star, 2 Buff Orpington, and 2 Barred Rock.
The Red Stars both started laying in their 16th week, and one of them lays double-yolked eggs a few times a week! I'm afraid that means she will stop laying that much earlier. :(
The Buffs and Barreds all started laying in their 23rd week.
I kept all of them on starter feed until the youngest were 16 weeks, then I switched them to layer feed.
I also have a separate supply of oyster shell mixed with ground up baked egg shells, for extra calcium.
Hope this helps!
 
My pullets are 18 weeks old & I just bought layer mix for them. Before that, they were on starter/grower mix. I just put out oyster shell for them at 16 weeks. My 2 sex links just started laying, the other 12 are still holding out.
 
I have 49 ISA Browns, 3 Rhode Island Reds and 6 Hy line Brown Pullets. Overall I get between 2.5 & 5 doz per day. All depending on the weather and feed available in the paddock. I would love to know when I can expect my pullets to start laying they are currently 12wks old.

To combat the heat (I live 4hours north of Sydney, NSW, Australia) I have attached a soaker hose upside down in the chicken run. They love it when I switch it on as it not only cools them and the chicken coop down it also attracts little bugs and worms that they feast on.

 

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