When do Pekin Chickens start laying?

[Chickmama74]

Hello everyone!

I just have a quick question. I bought six Buff Pekin Bantam Hens last summer and I was just wondering when they are supposed to start laying. If I do the numbers they are about five months old give of take. I got one egg from them right before it got cold and nothing since then. I know that it takes a little while before they start laying but I was just wondering. When I got them they were loosing their baby feathers and now they have beautiful orange colored feathers. I have never dealt with this kind of breed of chicken before. I am in no rush for eggs because I also have three Barred Rocks and and they are laying like crazy. I had one yesterday that was sitting in the nesting box and every time I opened the coop to feed or water she yelled at me. LOL. Is this a sign that she might be getting ready to lay?

Just need some in site as to what to expect of them. I am not sure if they are good layers or not. I have read a number of things on them and have seen where they are good layers and some where they are not good layers.



This photo was taken yesterday to show how they look. I am estimating that they are about five months old.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Probably anytime now, but I've had some that were red in the face early and didn't lay until they were 8 months old. They look ready tho

All of my Cochins, or Pekins whichever, have been pretty good layers. Their bad rep comes from their inclination to go broody (sit on eggs). They'll lay a number of eggs they think suitable, hatch them, raise the chicks, repeat.

Your girl is beautiful. Good luck

 

[Chickmama74]

Thank you so much. She did the same thing again but no egg yet. But I am going to keep an eye on them now. They are such a joy to have. They are really friendy and love it when we give them treats. When we first got them we had an egg from the other chickens that we have and we put it in the nesting box when they were in for the night and automatically the took turns rolling the egg under themselves to sit on it. It was cute. Now I am almost sorry that I didn't get the rooster when we got them. They seem like they would be good mamas. Just might look in to calling the guy to see if he has a rooster in the spring.

 

[piouspekin]

The reason your hen doesn't want you near her while she is sitting is almost definitely because she is starting to go broody and is wanting to have some babies of her own if you have a rooster and fertile eggs and want to breed now is the time to put eggs under her if possible mark the eggs and remove the ones the other chickens lay if they are laying now and if not its good to separate a broody hen on her own anyway so she can focus on hatching her eggs without being disturbed by other hens that want to use her nest to lay etc

 

[babychickens321]

Hello everyone!

I just have a quick question. I bought six Buff Pekin Bantam Hens last summer and I was just wondering when they are supposed to start laying. If I do the numbers they are about five months old give of take. I got one egg from them right before it got cold and nothing since then. I know that it takes a little while before they start laying but I was just wondering. When I got them they were loosing their baby feathers and now they have beautiful orange colored feathers. I have never dealt with this kind of breed of chicken before. I am in no rush for eggs because I also have three Barred Rocks and and they are laying like crazy. I had one yesterday that was sitting in the nesting box and every time I opened the coop to feed or water she yelled at me. LOL. Is this a sign that she might be getting ready to lay?

Just need some in site as to what to expect of them. I am not sure if they are good layers or not. I have read a number of things on them and have seen where they are good layers and some where they are not good layers.



This photo was taken yesterday to show how they look. I am estimating that they are about five months old.

I have three pekin, two hens and one cockerel, and one has just started laying! She's around 4 months, we got them in 13th October when they were just 6 weeks old. I read online that they are not very good layers, so I was very surprised (yesterday) when I saw two eggs in the coop (she had laid two for two days) and one today. The other one has not started laying yet.