18 week old chicks laying?

[ClickityChick123]

Hi everyone, currently we have five laying hens and two 18 week old pullets that should start/be laying, and we found a soft egg yesterday. Could it be our babies starting to lay or is it just the older hens starting to lay again after winter?

 

[thecatumbrella]

What breed are the pullets? Are any of them squatting for you yet?

 

[ClickityChick123]

We have a Cinnamon Queen and Silver Laced Wynedott

 

[ClickityChick123]

Wyandotte

 

[WingItRanch]

If you don't mine, share a picture of your pullets. You should be able to tell if they're POL by the color of their comb and wattles.

Do they have access to oyster shell or are you feeding layer feed?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Cinnamon Queen

I know production reds can lay as early as 16 weeks. My Golden Comet started at 20-21 weeks.

 

[Noraaaaa]

Hi everyone, currently we have five laying hens and two 18 week old pullets that should start/be laying, and we found a soft egg yesterday. Could it be our babies starting to lay or is it just the older hens starting to lay again after winter?

My older hen (5) starts laying with soft eggs when she does. Not sure if that’s helpful.

 

[ClickityChick123]

If you don't mine, share a picture of your pullets. You should be able to tell if they're POL by the color of their comb and wattles.

Do they have access to oyster shell or are you feeding layer feed?

I am currently feeding layer feed, but I'm about to put some eight week old chicks in with the adults and so I'll be feeding them all flock feed. Is it okay to us eggshells on the side instead of oyster shell?

 

[Noraaaaa]

I am currently feeding layer feed, but I'm about to put some eight week old chicks in with the adults and so I'll be feeding them all flock feed. Is it okay to us eggshells on the side instead of oyster shell?

Oyster shells are better, but if you prepare the eggshells properly (bake them) then they are okay.

 

[WingItRanch]

I agree with @Noraaaaa

I feed all flock and provide oyster shell. To me, it's more of a pain to prepare egg shells than to just buy a giant bag of oyster that will last forever.