19 week old chickens.. one laying eggs.

[ChickAs]

Hello!
I have 25 nineteen week old chickens and new to chicken raising. I had these chickens since a day old. One hen started laying last week. She is a Rockstar and has laid 5 eggs! I was curious if there is a way to encourage the other 24 chickens to start laying? Or do I just need to be patient with the others and they will start laying in their own time?

Thank you!

 

[The Chick Addict]

Hello!
I have 25 nineteen week old chickens and new to chicken raising. I had these chickens since a day old. One hen started laying last week. She is a Rockstar and has laid 5 eggs! I was curious if there is a way to encourage the other 24 chickens to start laying? Or do I just need to be patient with the others and they will start laying in their own time?

Thank you!

It can take 18 to 25 weeks for hens to lay. Looks like the laying girl is an early bird! The other girls will lay in their own time. You can also put plastic eggs inside the nesting boxes to encourage laying. So happy for your laying girl!

 

[ChickAs]

It can take 18 to 25 weeks for hens to lay. Looks like the laying girl is an early bird! The other girls will lay in their own time. You can also put plastic eggs inside the nesting boxes to encourage laying. So happy for your laying girl!

I tell her she's a good pretty girl. She lets me know when it's a laying day when she "talks" clucks and coos at me in the mornings.

 

[fluffycrow]

Your pullet is early to the game. Not much you can do to make the others start laying. Some are early, some are late to the game. Most pullets start at 5 to 6 months, but many can go way more

 

[ChickAs]

Your pullet is early to the game. Not much you can do to make the others start laying. Some are early, some are late to the game. Most pullets start at 5 to 6 months, but many can go way more

Okay sounds good. Thank you!

 

[Leatherworker]

I tell her she's a good pretty girl. She lets me know when it's a laying day when she "talks" clucks and coos at me in the mornings.

I love that you said that. I have 11 beautiful much loved girls. some 19 weeks and three 20 weeks. One of the 19 week old laid a beautiful small egg yesterday. She was talking and talking to me and going here and there looking and trying to find her place to lay. In and out of the coop where the nests are, but at days end, dropped it between the feed and water bins. She started talking to me again this afternoon, even following to around to tell me all about it. I hope she and the others when they start will lay in the nesting boxes. I have 6 boxes side by side for them to choose from and two fake eggs. They all talk to me, but not like she does. Seems they don't understand what they are to do at first. Don't know if I can do anything to help them choose the right place. I have had lots of chickens in the past, but just never got as close to them as I have these. These are like my children, lol.

 

[Nomadicus]

I was surprised by a first egg at 17 weeks in my RIR coop. over the next 3-4 weeks production gradually picked up and leveled off. I put some fake plastic eggs in the nest box to encourage them to use it. Most did. For awhile some were dropping eggs from the roosting bars before there was enough light for them to get to the next box. That finally stopped. Some times it just takes time.

 

[ChickAs]

I love that you said that. I have 11 beautiful much loved girls. some 19 weeks and three 20 weeks. One of the 19 week old laid a beautiful small egg yesterday. She was talking and talking to me and going here and there looking and trying to find her place to lay. In and out of the coop where the nests are, but at days end, dropped it between the feed and water bins. She started talking to me again this afternoon, even following to around to tell me all about it. I hope she and the others when they start will lay in the nesting boxes. I have 6 boxes side by side for them to choose from and two fake eggs. They all talk to me, but not like she does. Seems they don't understand what they are to do at first. Don't know if I can do anything to help them choose the right place. I have had lots of chickens in the past, but just never got as close to them as I have these. These are like my children, lol.

Yes! Definitely my extended children! My husband tells me not name them and

I love that you said that. I have 11 beautiful much loved girls. some 19 weeks and three 20 weeks. One of the 19 week old laid a beautiful small egg yesterday. She was talking and talking to me and going here and there looking and trying to find her place to lay. In and out of the coop where the nests are, but at days end, dropped it between the feed and water bins. She started talking to me again this afternoon, even following to around to tell me all about it. I hope she and the others when they start will lay in the nesting boxes. I have 6 boxes side by side for them to choose from and two fake eggs. They all talk to me, but not like she does. Seems they don't understand what they are to do at first. Don't know if I can do anything to help them choose the right place. I have had lots of chickens in the past, but just never got as close to them as I have these. These are like my children, lol.

Yes! My husband tells me all the time not to name them.. they are not pets. Lol I ignore him on this.

 

[ChickAs]

I was surprised by a first egg at 17 weeks in my RIR coop. over the next 3-4 weeks production gradually picked up and leveled off. I put some fake plastic eggs in the nest box to encourage them to use it. Most did. For awhile some were dropping eggs from the roosting bars before there was enough light for them to get to the next box. That finally stopped. Some times it just takes time.

I thought about if I needed to put some fake eggs in there.

 

[Leatherworker]

Yes! Definitely my extended children! My husband tells me not name them and

Yes! My husband tells me all the time not to name them.. they are not pets. Lol I ignore him on this.

Lol. My 11 girls all have names. My husband is in on it. He loves them too. I know some people on here say not to make pets and don't hold them etc. I believe just the opposite. I know if you lose any it will break your heart, but they come when I call them and watch everything I do. All but 3 will come take turns getting lap hugs. That is like stress relief for me. One of my Wyandottes runs to me when I go out there and jumps in my lap and snuggles her head in under my neck. How can you pass that up? Nope. Some people sip wine, I go spend time with sweet chickens. And for some reason they are very close to each other. If one of two wander in the yard in a different direction, the rest come running and flapping to be back with their sisters. I have 3 different breeds together.