When do light brahmas start laying?

[SmittenChicken]

I just started getting eggs from my Red Stars and a White Rock at 19 weeks, and I have two Light Brahmas that are the same age. One of them started squatting for me and practicing in the nest boxes a few days ago, and her face is much redder than the other girl (who is quite a bit larger but still runs away when I try to pet her). I expected to wait a very long time for eggs from both of these girls, so I'm surprised to see this from one of them at 20.5 weeks.

When did your LBs mature? Is this typical, or are my production birds a bad influence?

 

[Happy Chooks]

My light brahma started laying at 21 weeks. Here's a picture of her shortly after she started laying.

 

[pgpoultry]

Mine were about 26 weeks when they started and promptly most went broody!

Sandie

 

[tuesdays chicks]

My girl is 22 weeks and she doesn't look like the pic there yet. So I'll be waiting for another week or 5 lol. I can wait

 

[alaskachick]

I have 7 Light Brahmas. They are 22 weeks old. Their combs are only now starting to turn red. I have been tired of waiting for eggs so I went on line and looked up what their laying timetable is and they are one of the latest layers, some laying as late as 25 to 28 weeks. Why? because their a bigger bodied chicken and most of the energy goes to building the body first. Brahmas were bred for meat and eggs.
If I would of known that ahead of time I wouldn't of chosen brahmas. Actually when I bought them as chicks, the seller told me they were Delawares and I was happy with that. What did I know? it was my first chicken experience and I didn't know any better. Your Brahmas and mine are about the same age so I will send you a email when I get my first egg and I would appreciate it if you would do the same for me. Good luck and here's to future egg gathering!

 

[pgpoultry]

I don't think that you will regret having Brahmas in the long run.

They have sweet natures....never had a nasty one.

They stand heat and cold very well.

They live a long time....10 years or so if you can keep the predators away AND they lay eggs for years.

Sandie

 

[SmittenChicken]

Thanks for the pic, new2chooks - pretty bird! Mine has a much smaller comb and waddles but is about as red. I'm guessing it might still be a while (my black stars have been squatting for weeks now, still no eggs from them).

I have been getting a mystery egg in the corner of the coop the last few days, it looks just like my White Rock's egg - small and very pale pinkish brown. I'm thinking it could be either this Brahma, a Speckled Sussex or my other White Rock (who has been red for weeks, but still won't squat). Do any of you guys have experience comparing the egg colors from these breeds?

Alaskachick, pgpoultry - I love my two brahmas. We added them to our flock just for hardiness and disposition, I heard they weren't great layers but figured some of the others might make up for them. It's a riot to watch them run across the yard

Thanks guys for the replies, here's to lots of eggs for us all!

 

[Happy Chooks]

My girl is a hatchery girl, so her comb isn't the typical pea comb. And the picture was taken about 3 weeks after she started laying. If your girl is just as red, then she may be laying your mystery egg.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

Quote:
your giving false hopes its probably the white rock laying the mystery egg not all pullets squat. my andalusian doesn't, but shes been laying 5 eggs a week for 2 weeks.

 

[SmittenChicken]

So I think the mystery chicken laying in the corner is one of my Black Stars - I assumed their egg would be similar in size to the Red Stars, but I found my two Black Stars in a corner acting weird yesterday, so I put them up by the nest boxes. One of them eventually climbed into a nest with one of my Red Stars and laid an egg identical to the corner egg.

However, I think the LB in question might also be laying now. Yesterday we got a new egg in a top nesting box (we've seen her hang out up there). Is was a light pinkish brown and more oblong than the other eggs we've gotten, and we got another one just like it this morning. Followed by a pale blue egg from our smallest EE! I had no idea chickens could be so exciting.