17 week old pullets, need light to start laying?

[AmityChick]

Hi all,

first time chicken momma here and my chickens are 17 weeks old now and I am hoping they will start laying in the next couple of weeks, about half of them have stared get larger/red combs and wattles. My question is do I need to provide supplemental lighting/how much? I’m located in New Brunswick Canada and we’re getting about 10 hours of daylight with the sun coming up around 7am and setting around 5pm.

I think next winter I won’t do supplemental lighting I would just really like a few eggs now rather than waiting until next spring, this being the first year with the chickens and all

I have seven 17 week old purebred barred rocks and two 17 week old landrace ameraucanas

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No light is necessary. They will mature a bit slower this time of year, generally a month or so longer that the average expected start date.

 

[AmityChick]

No light is necessary. They will mature a bit slower this time of year, generally a month or so longer that the average expected start date.

really? That would be nice, I had been told unless I added supplemental light that they would skip “coming into lay” and wouldn’t start until next year in the spring

 

[aart]

They may lay in a couple-few weeks...
....or wait until the days start lengthening at Winter Solstice.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My Barred Rocks started to lay at 20 weeks old, January 3rd. Sunset was 4:30.
I do add light at 5 am year round. So that's 11.5 hours of light. Sunset was increasing, 11 minutes extra from earliest.
All 7 Barred Rocks were laying by 23 weeks.
I've never had Ameracanas.

If you decide to add light, it's important to add no more than 1 hour weekly. I've added 15 minutes daily over 4 days when changing from standard to daylight savings time.

Chickens respond to the red spectrum of light 2700 to 3000 Kelvin (warm) I use these.

I have small coops 18 and 22 square feet.
I use a 250 Lumens inside coops.

If you have a medium size coop up to 50 square feet a 450 Lumens bulb should suffice.
For larger coops use several 450 Lumens bulbs spaced out.
I put the bulb inside on the wall over the nest boxes. You don't want light shining inside nests. Chickens like a dark place to lay.
I use the 450 Lumens under my raised coops and the 800 Lumens outside the coops.

GC

 

[AmityChick]

My Barred Rocks started to lay at 20 weeks old, January 3rd. Sunset was 4:30.
I do add light at 5 am year round. So that's 11.5 hours of light. Sunset was increasing, 11 minutes extra from earliest.
All 7 Barred Rocks were laying by 23 weeks.
I've never had Ameracanas.

If you decide to add light, it's important to add no more than 1 hour weekly. I've added 15 minutes daily over 4 days when changing from standard to daylight savings time.

Chickens respond to the red spectrum of light 2700 to 3000 Kelvin (warm) I use these.View attachment 2395791
I have small coops 18 and 22 square feet.
I use a 250 Lumens inside coops.View attachment 2395809
If you have a medium size coop up to 50 square feet a 450 Lumens bulb should suffice.
For larger coops use several 450 Lumens bulbs spaced out.
I put the bulb inside on the wall over the nest boxes. You don't want light shining inside nests. Chickens like a dark place to lay.
I use the 450 Lumens under my raised coops and the 800 Lumens outside the coops.View attachment 2395812
GC

Wow thank you this is the most helpful response!!

 

[nuthatched]

17 weeks is young to lay for most breeds, I think I got my first egg at 21-22 weeks, but since it's winter ( if you live in the northern hemisphere) they'll lay next spring. No need to rush them

 

[GC-Raptor]

Wow thank you this is the most helpful response!!

After their first year of Laying, I've found that laying starts to slow when light drops below 13 hours and slows way down when hours drop below 12.5 hours. GC

 

[CJS Flock]

I have a Silver laced Wyandotte that is about 8 months old and hasn’t started laying as well as two Polish that are 6 months that aren’t laying. I figured they would just start next spring. We had a bad summer, so my bantams and silkie are the only ones who didn’t stop laying. Keep us posted on whether or not the light works if you go that route, please.

 

[AmityChick]

17 weeks is young to lay for most breeds, I think I got my first egg at 21-22 weeks, but since it's winter ( if you live in the northern hemisphere) they'll lay next spring. No need to rush them

Yes I was expecting them not to start laying for a few weeks (closer to the 20 weeks)