Well my two hens started laying eggs over the weekend. They are both 7 months old and I've been waiting very patiently. I thought the first eggs would be small and soft shelled. However, they were medium/large and the shells were very thick. Does anyone else have experience on late starters? Do later boomers equal longer/better layers or is it completely random. Is 7 months a long time as I suspect? They are barred rocks.
Not unusual at all to be late bloomers this time of year because of shorter days. The older they are when they start, it stands to reason the eggs would be bigger than normal pullet eggs. A chicken is born with all the eggs it will ever lay. A delay and taking breaks means they'll lay more in later life. Many people prefer not to feed chickens without getting eggs though. It's actually old hens that lay thinner shelled eggs.
Early laying can lead to laying issues later in life, so in that way, later laying is better for their longevity. Are your BR's heritage, or hatchery? Heritage BR's normally take about 7 months to mature. 7 months is not so long, I'm still waiting on my Barnevelder pullets that hatched 3/26.
