When will my rhode island reds start laying?

[fantomas]

Finally found my first egg yesterday! It was broken and frozen so I'm pretty sure it was layed on the 25th after I checked for eggs for the day, a Christmas miracle!

Edit: This would put them at 28 weeks. About a month ago I finally got around to putting a light in the coop, which could explain the delay.

 

[goodb]

Congratulations! It was a sweet day for me when I got mine. Get ready for them coming often.

 

[FloydBhere]

Can someone estimate how long it will be before theses pullers lay...not real sure how old they are...

 

[goodb]

Can someone estimate how long it will be before theses pullers lay...not real sure how old they are...

The first one is very close. I have an RIR similar to the second that lays often so I would estimate you are days away. However, the daylight and weather play a part in the timing so keep an eye on them. Eggs will come soon enough.

 

[fantomas]

Can someone estimate how long it will be before theses pullers lay...not real sure how old they are...

Top one definitely looks close. Are you supplementing light? I installed a light in the coop on a time and slowly added a 1/2 hour to it every 4-5 days until they got about 14 hours of light a day. Took them 4 weeks or so from when I first installed the light to when I got my first egg. I intend to start to roll back the light eventually now that the days are getting longer.

 

[FloydBhere]

Y'all said be patient and they were close, did not realize they were this close! We're in the eggs! I'm excited!

 

[goodb]

Y'all said be patient and they were close, did not realize they were this close! We're in the eggs! I'm excited!

<Applause> I'd give you an ovation but I haven't figured out how to do that!

 

[fantomas]

Wow! Did 5 of them really start laying at the same time?

 

[FloydBhere]

Wow! Did 5 of them really start laying at the same time?

The two small eggs are from the two pictured above. I have 5 other hens already laying...the other older hen laid one to big for the egg carton!

 

[One Chick Two]

LOL Some of the new girls can lay such small and oddly shaped eggs. We have one who we nicknamed "Torpedo girl" who has the longest, pointiest eggs.

Our girls started layed laying at 24 weeks, and at first it was 1, 5, 7 for a few days, 10, 12, 18, than a big jump to 24. Now it's 38, which means we have a few younger pullets (24 weeks) have now kicked in. Eventually it will be up to 68. lol