At what age did your chickens lay?

[hunterduff]

Good morning! I was wondering when did everyone’s girls start to lay? I have two Rhode island reds, two prairie bluebell easter eggers, and two light bramahas that are 16 weeks and I have a buff orpington, white leghorn, and americana easter egger that are 8 weeks. This is my first personal flock. What was your experience with these breeds?

My Black Australorps started at 20 weeks, I have a Buff Orpington who looks like she could go any day now for weeks and she’s 21 weeks.

 

[Staconna]

My Black Copper Marans are 18 weeks this week. I have kept the nesting boxes blocked. Do I remove it before an egg is laid or wait until they begin laying?
This is my first coop. I have the 4 Marans hens, and one Marans Rooster.

 

[Outta Here]

Oh by all means quickly open the nest boxes during the day!! If you wait until one lays in the run or hides her eggs somewhere, it's harder to convince the whole flock to lay in the nest boxes. My nest boxes have been open every day with a wooden egg in each since my girls were chicks. They become familiar with the boxes by poking their heads through the curtains, and they learn not to peck eggs by trying it out on the wooden eggs. When they are almost ready to lay (some pullets lay at 16 weeks), they will sit in the nest for awhile, even sing the egg song when they haven't laid! I have two or three that are "practicing" in the nest box every day.

 

[Staconna]

Oh by all means quickly open the nest boxes during the day!! If you wait until one lays in the run or hides her eggs somewhere, it's harder to convince the whole flock to lay in the nest boxes. My nest boxes have been open every day with a wooden egg in each since my girls were chicks. They become familiar with the boxes by poking their heads through the curtains, and they learn not to peck eggs by trying it out on the wooden eggs. When they are almost ready to lay (some pullets lay at 16 weeks), they will sit in the nest for awhile, even sing the egg song when they haven't laid! I have two or three that are "practicing" in the nest box every day.

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Thank you! And definitely with begin. I have used a cardboard piece to block them before. Do I replace it in the evening time? They do sleep on a roosting bar but it is near the nesting boxes.

 

[Outta Here]

I shut mine at night simply because I don't want to have to clean the poop out every morning to keep my eggs clean.
If the nest boxes are lower than the roost, maybe none of your chickens would be interested in sleeping in them and you could leave them open.

Well wishes on your first exciting egg! Those dark eggs are sooo pretty....

 

[Outta Here]

Great idea!!
1. Sapphire Gem laid at 17 weeks
1. Easter Egger laid at 18 weeks, took 9 days off and laid steadily for 14 days, then one day off and continued to lay daily.
2. Rhode Island Red laid at 19 weeks, took 2 days off, and is laying steadily.

I'll update and add the Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, Barred Rocks, Leghorns and Bielefelders when they start.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you! And definitely with begin. I have used a cardboard piece to block them before. Do I replace it in the evening time? They do sleep on a roosting bar but it is near the nesting boxes.

I would leave the boxes open around the clock at this point as they're already roosting (reliably, I assume). You want to know in advance if chickens are inclined to sleep in the box, rather than wait for them to lay and then check, will they try to sleep there?

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Yes, thanks! 17 weeks old this Thursday, or so. I’m sorry if these get posted upside down, I don’t know why that’s happening..

I want to steal your whiting true blues and Easter Egger!!!! They are gorgeous!

 

[Staconna]

I would leave the boxes open around the clock at this point as they're already roosting (reliably, I assume). You want to know in advance if chickens are inclined to sleep in the box, rather than wait for them to lay and then check, will they try to sleep there?

They all cuddled on top of each other last night in a nesting box .

 

[Outta Here]

I did leave mine open at night when they were very close to laying--I even put some of the interested ones in to invite them to get familiar with the nest boxes.

When I close them at night, I make sure they are open very early in the morning, so nobody gets shut out and confused. I had one on the nest laying at 5:30 this morning!