Anconea's are laying...... Catalanas are laying....... but the Welsummers who are the same age are just hanging out not even interested in the nesting box or setting. Anyone familiar with Welsummers? Is this normal?
According to Henderson's Breed Chart, Anconas and Catalanas are an "early maturing" breed and Welsumers are considered a "moderately early maturing" breed. This means give them a few more weeks. To warn you, Ameraucanas are also considered a "moderately early maturing" breed and I've heard they can take 8 months or longer to start laying. Mine are only 14 weeks so I have a while to wait! I have Welsumers too but they are only 17 weeks so your's will be laying well before mine. I wonder how long it takes for a "late maturing" breed to lay? There is a Welsumer thread that can probably answer your question better.
The slackers probably after 24 weeks how do their combs look? My Partridge Rocks are my slackers 22 weeks and they look ready and have been hanging out in the lay boxes but no eggs. How hot is it? That bothered my girls and are they from a hatchery? Breeder stock will take a little longer too it is better for the hen to wait for at least 24 weeks before lay after they start you have about 18 months of eggs before a molt. I think they just like to torture us and now I am overrun with little eggs they make nice gifts to your future customers.....
OK, I checked out the welsummer thread 'cause I wanted to know too, and they said anywhere from 22 weeks to 27 weeks. Good luck!
I wish someone would give my chickens the book that says you are supposed to start laying at X weeks, when your comb is red etc. I have seen the rooster breed a few of them and still not an egg in sight. Grrrr. Slackers is an understatement!
My wellie girls started laying at 24 weeks for one and 25 weeks for the other. So you have about another month before you get eggs.
my wellies started laying at 20 weeks on the day, The 4 of july. Thier are 3 in that group and empordansa. She was a bit slower. They are regular as clock work , I have usualy gotten 3 eggs a day from that gruop the last 2 weeks. The empy lays a bit lighter eggs, so it is easy to find hers. But the 2 of the last 4 days have gotten 3 eggs 1 day and 5 or six the next, Don't know gives with them, but they are laying up a storm. And it is hot and hummid here. The next group is black coppers and they are 3 weeks younger. They are getting stated as well, not as regular, and not as many eggs. I have a Blue copper pullet that is the same age as the black coppers, and she has been laying 1 a day for 2 weeks now.
