15 week old hen laid an egg?!??!

[ben0125]

This afternoon I came home to feed our 15-week old rooster and 2 hens, they are a cross breed of Plymouth rock & Silkie, however, out of the corner of my eye I see a little white egg (The mother lays the same colour egg) in our little bush. I didn't think a chicken would lay so early? Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong???
If it helps the rooster has been crowing and fertilizing our bigger hens for a few weeks now.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It isn't normal but not unheard of. You probably aren't doing anything wrong.
Keep in mind that you are in the southern hemisphere so your days are still lengthening. That is the primary determinant of inducing production.
That, unlike up here where everyone is complaining about their birds' lack of production.

 

[MageofMist]

I have had a silkie hen start when she was just 4 months old, which is about 17 weeks of age. To make it odder, it is winter here so the day length is getting shorter. I was concerned at first, but so far she has had no issues laying the eggs other than the regular straining that I see all my new layers do during their first month or so of laying.

 

[ben0125]

I have had a silkie hen start when she was just 4 months old, which is about 17 weeks of age. To make it odder, it is winter here so the day length is getting shorter. I was concerned at first, but so far she has had no issues laying the eggs other than the regular straining that I see all my new layers do during their first month or so of laying.

Alright, thanks!

 

[ben0125]

It isn't normal but not unheard of. You probably aren't doing anything wrong.
Keep in mind that you are in the southern hemisphere so your days are still lengthening. That is the primary determinant of inducing production.
That, unlike up here where everyone is complaining about their birds lack of production.

Thanks! Would you have an estimate of when a hen will be ready to go broody?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not all hens ever go broody, though breeds like silkies and cochins are prone to do so. Some wait till they are more mature, some will do so as pullets.
I've had Orps and Penedesencas go broody after laying about 10 eggs and some breeds not go broody till they were 2 or 3 years old and the majority of breeds never go broody.

 

[ben0125]

Not all hens ever go broody, though breeds like silkies and cochins are prone to do so. Some wait till they are more mature, some will do so as pullets.
I've had Orps and Penedesencas go broody after laying about 10 eggs and some breeds not go broody till they were 2 or 3 years old and the majority of breeds never go broody.

The people we got the chickens from said the mother laid eggs every day, should we expect egg nearly every day? or get another today?

 

[JeanR]

Notice the blood on that first egg. It was certainly not easy for that pullet to lay her first egg. Hope she waits a bit for her next eggs--may be soon, or a week or 2. Fertile or not (but it likely is, as you have rooster), she will not become broody until she has laid a"clutch"--which for a first clutch, may be as many as 20 or more eggs! The dear little hens do not look like Silkie crosses, but may have Silkie characteristics! So DO NOT LEAVE her eggs in the nest, but collect and mark the date on it with pencil, every day she lays. Assume you want to hatch? Patience! Eat those first eggs and enjoy them, and just collect and date them, keep them in an egg carton on you kitchen counter (or other cool place, not refrigerator). When the box is full, just eat all but about 6 and then just keep the last 6 eggs, adding new ones and eating the older 7th one-- UNTIL she SETS. For a first hatch,. 6 eggs is best for her to be successful! When she SETS, you will place the 6 eggs under her, at the same time, so they will hatch at the same time--21 days after set. And the other pullet will be laying also, any day--so LOOK at their eggs and find differences (size, shape, shell color or markings--each hen will likely --have slight differences), so you can label the hen id, as well as the date. It is a great project--and you will enjoy learning about these lovely little chickens! Good luck.

 

[ben0125]

Notice the blood on that first egg. It was certainly not easy for that pullet to lay her first egg. Hope she waits a bit for her next eggs--may be soon, or a week or 2. Fertile or not (but it likely is, as you have rooster), she will not become broody until she has laid a"clutch"--which for a first clutch, may be as many as 20 or more eggs! The dear little hens do not look like Silkie crosses, but may have Silkie characteristics! So DO NOT LEAVE her eggs in the nest, but collect and mark the date on it with pencil, every day she lays. Assume you want to hatch? Patience! Eat those first eggs and enjoy them, and just collect and date them, keep them in an egg carton on you kitchen counter (or other cool place, not refrigerator). When the box is full, just eat all but about 6 and then just keep the last 6 eggs, adding new ones and eating the older 7th one-- UNTIL she SETS. For a first hatch,. 6 eggs is best for her to be successful! When she SETS, you will place the 6 eggs under her, at the same time, so they will hatch at the same time--21 days after set. And the other pullet will be laying also, any day--so LOOK at their eggs and find differences (size, shape, shell color or markings--each hen will likely --have slight differences), so you can label the hen id, as well as the date. It is a great project--and you will enjoy learning about these lovely little chickens! Good luck.

Thanks for all that information! I was told they were silkie crossed with Plymouth rock?? I wasn't so sure about it as well, Would you have any idea of what breed they are?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the mother was a rock, depending on age she could have laid an egg nearly daily, but not year round. If the father is a silkie, this bird won't lay as well as the mother.
Even if you have a breed that lays 300 eggs a year, when pullets starting out, their ovulations will be intermittent - just like a human beginning to ovulate.
I'm very bad at guessing about mixed breeds.