Australorps-Earliest Age of Laying?

[Nonny]

I have Australorp/ISA Brown hybrids and they were all late bloomers. Their wattles and combs turned big and red about a month before laying. The first one to lay waited until around 27 weeks, the other waited another 4 weeks after that.

 

[new2chickens2011]

Wow! That really surprises me!

 

[kjpanda]

I have 2 Australorps; one started laying at about 24 weeks, the other is 34 weeks old yesterday and not even close to laying. She has a small pale comb, small pale wattles, no squatting, no egg song, nothing. She will be in the stew pot soon and replaced in the spring.

I also have two Barred Rocks, same age, same circumstances, but....at least "non-laying" Barred Rock is beginning to get a larger, redder comb and wattles, so she SHOULD be laying soon.

They lay when they are ready and not one second before. Sigh...............

 

[galanie]

The parent breed to Australorps, Orpingtons, start laying at around 34 weeks or so. Depending how much Orp blood they've got in there they could start laying later.

 

[katschicks11]

I have 4 Australorps pullets, I was told they was 5 months when I got them (told should lay in about month), almost 2 months later, 2 of them have large red wattles but no squatting, egg song, or eggs. The other 2 are still maturing. I keep thinking soon.

But I like their personalities, they are not lap chickens, but (for a chicken) they are calm, quite, and come when I call. I just keep waiting.......waiting.......waiting for the eggs.

 

[thebanthams]

Does weather have anything to do with it? My chickies are Arizona raised. But we are cold here too !

 

[Dead Rabbit]

generally for most breeds 6 months old is the start date. give or take couple of weeks. this time of yr unless you have artificial lighting, it may take longer. an average layer like austrolorps will not generally be anything spectacular when they start laying or their laying careers. a beautiful breed though........................

 

[deanmarz]

26 weeks for one, 30 weeks for the other, still no eggs from one girl and she is 9 months old! she did finally do the chicken squat lol,

I have the same thing. 31 weeks and no sign of an egg.

 

[galvinj]

I have four, two started at 26 weeks and one started at 28 weeks. The last one is just starting to get her comb and waffles in and they are still pale red. Don't think I'll be getting anything from her for a couple of months.

 

[shodack]

I've got two BAs. One started around 22 weeks, the other a week or two later. I'm getting about five eggs a week from each of them.