When do chickens start laying eggs?

[Waveron]

Okay, I have been serching the forum for an answer to this question and I haven't found it yet although I'm sure it has been asked before. I thought it would be faster to just asked it again. Sorry if this is repetive to you seasoned chicken folk out there.
I have 2 White rocks, 1 Black australorps, 1 silver spangled hamburg, 1 partridge rock, 1 white crested black polish, 1 RIR, and 1 dark cornish hens. They are all 19 weeks old, and I want to know when will they start laying eggs? I really want to try that first egg!

 

[cleopatra]

At 27 weeks my americauna finally laid her first egg. She put it right in the nesting box. She's been laying for a week now and we've gotten 5 eggs total. She puts them in the nesting box every time - it's so amazing! It makes you wonder how they know to do that. Each egg I get seems like a small miracle. Here's a picture of her first egg.

 

[Mooseman]

Hello,

that first egg is really great..... I have had a private cage free, organic egg business in my neighborhood for three years now...... my big sister went to college and handed me down her business.

Home grown eggs are richer, better for baking (especially chocolate chip cookies) and the blue and green eggs from the Aracauna chicken are lower in cholesterol than the brown and white eggs.

When you crack open a well fed egg from the farm compared to the best organic, cage free from a store you can see if your hens have proper nutrition. i.e. our eggs are a deep dark orange yolk that sits up hard in a pan or bowl when cracked. The white is clear and has substantial body (stiff and stands up) when cracked.

do a side by side comparison to see the health of your hens when they start laying by investing $5 for good eggs from a natural food store. If the shell is weak, crack egg shells (very fine) and put in food, or feed oyster shell, or let your hens out into a bigger area or around buildings for them to eat bugs (best way) as the exo skeltons of the bugs help make better shells and keep bugs from being around your barn

if the yolk is pale yellow, more protein and iron is needed. remember, everything that was on your plate after dinner is breakfast for the chickens....they are nature's garbage disposals..... dark green leafy veges help with good yolks. So the bad leafs off your spinach and lettuce from the garden or grocery store are perfect for the hens...... remember, what you may compost, most chickens eat,..,

our family does not raise white chickens simply because our experience is they get sick. I have 24 hens, 2 plymouth rocks, 8 buff orphingtons, 5 rhode island reds, and 9 araucaunas.

we found that these are easy keepers, lay extra large or large eggs by 9 months and live and lay for about 6 years.

I am joining this forum to expand my vocabulary, writing skills and share my four years of successful organic, cage free hen/egg business.

Thanks for corresponding.

Mooseman

 

[ATMac1962]

Got my 1st egg @ 19 weeks from my gold sex-link "Ethel".

It's been 3 days & that's the only egg so far!

It's true what they say, when their comb & waddle get big & red, soon will come an egg. I think 3 of my other hens will start laying any day, they're all the same age but different breeds (6 hens). I feel like a child waiting for gifts!

 

[Waveron]

Annoyingly, they start....when they are ready. I'd say an average is about 6 months. I've had two that started well after 8 months, BUT, they both lay Jumbo-sized eggs, so it was worth the wait!

You can watch for their combs to begin getting very red; when that starts, you won't have long to wait. I assume you have them on layer feed and oyster shell?
************************************************************

I have them on all of that yes, even the rooster loves the oyster shell and crushed egg shell I've been giving them. I've noticed that someone has been arranging the nest box, so I am hoping that it will be soon.

 

[Wynette]

True, AllChookUp! But, you know how it is when waiting for your very first egg! Seems like all you want to do is camp out beside the nest boxes! Heck, I was even DREAMING of my first egg - how pathetic is THAT!?! Then, DH played a cruel joke. when I got my first egg, I ran to the house to show him, and he said, "Oh, I put that in there." SOOOOO not funny!

 

[Wynette]

Well, husbands ARE sort of like children sometimes....

 

[Tootie123]

I got 8 chicks in September, 4 Plymouth Rocks and 4 Buff Orphingtons.
They are about 4 months old. No eggs as yet from them. I noticed
that the Plymouth Rocks combs and wattles are beginning to grow and
are turning a bright red. At least two of them are. I assume those two
are about ready to start laying? The Buff Orphingtons seem to be
a bit behind, their combs and wattles are barely grown. Soo....I suspect
that will be probably another two months on them at least? Is that
the case with the Orphingtons, they are later to start laying?
Have been trying to come up with some laying nests. Since I am
70 years old and a widow, am not going to be able to make laying
nests out of wood, any suggestions on what to use for nests? Don't
want to put a lot of money into store bought nests......
Thanks for your thoughts......

 

[itzCelyn]

We were given 5 spectacled type chicks years ago. They were born in March of that year and we got our first egg Aug 8th. when they were exactly 5 months of age. They have since gone and we bought 3 Rhode Island Reds and one Barred Rock. They were all born in March of this year. They are now 6.5 months old and NOTHING!! They crackle every morning but when we rush out to see their first egg there is nothing. My husband put a hardboiled egg in their nest and it is still there. No broken eggs, nothing. I attached a photo of our new coop. We have since added a water system where they have water from 5 nibs and also keep a small container in the nesting area for water. This is our coop and the 3 RI Reds. The BR is 2 weeks younger but larger than the other girls. Anyone know why they would crackle but not lay eggs? I thought they only did that when they were laying an egg??

 

[whittychick]

Here on Long Island people sell their farm fresh eggs at $5 a dozen!  Luckily I have my own now..

5$ for a dozen?! That's nuts! I would never pay and definitely would never sell for that much! 2-3$ sounds fair to me...that's about 35$ extra a month! Pays for their food and hay! Sounds good to me!