5mth old chick wanting to go into the nesting box. Normal?

[donnaboydjones]

I have 5 , 5mth old chicks and I caught one of them this morning fighting her way into the nesting boxes with the adults hens. I thought hens didn't lay until they were like 9 mths old or around there. That was the age my other adult hens started laying, and I'm only going by that. Also, are my chicks considered chicks at this point or hens?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

A pullet is a female chicken under the age of one year old. A cockerel is a male chicken under the age of one. Like alot of people I start calling my pullets Hens once they start laying.

It is entirely possible that your five month old pullets are ready to lay at 5 months or 20 weeks old. Sixteen to nineteen weeks is average for standard breeds. Large fowls like brahmas can take even longer.

 

[Chickens rock!mysocks]

Chickens can start laying as early as 4 months, actually. It all depends on the breed and the chicken itself. It seems that one chick has just started puberty.

 

[CammieSilkie]

they're pullets silly. hens are fully grown laying birds, and chicks are babies. pullets are sort of the in between.

and as for going into the nest box, i don't really know. some hens do lay early, depending on their genetics, so she could be trying to lay. but it does seem a little early, so i don't know what to say.

wait and watch for a teeny tiny little egg?

 

[donnaboydjones]

Thanks Ladies!!! I had been calling them chicks, even though I knew that wasn't right. I've only been a chicken owner for a year now. The 4 adult hens I do have came with the house I bought last September. All this is new, but exciting and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Especially the "pullets"

I incubated them from my hens and have hand held them from the get go. I love how they see me or hear me and they come running and aren't afraid of me like the hens. The pullets are Americacana/ Russian Orloff mixes, but look like Americacanas more then Orloffs.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
The Ameraucanas (probably more properly called easter eggers since true Ameraucanas are considered rare) are relatively early maturing for the most part. The orloffs are considered to be late maturers, so 20 weeks does sound about right to me.

 

[donnaboydjones]

Quote:
Look what I found when I went to collect eggs.

 

[donnaboydjones]

Quote:
The Ameraucanas (probably more properly called easter eggers since true Ameraucanas are considered rare) are relatively early maturing for the most part. The orloffs are considered to be late maturers, so 20 weeks does sound about right to me.

Youre right about the Easter eggers/ Ameraucanas. I've just been told they are one or the other depending on who I am talking to. You were also right in the fact that she was old enough to lay. I just posted a pic of her egg. My babies are growing up.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Look what I found when I went to collect eggs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/98977_006.jpg