At what age do they each start to lay?

[WestVermont]

I have a few breeds and was wondering at what age do they each start to lay? I have 2 buff orpington, about 7 rhode island reds, 5 to 7 each of red and black stars, and 5+ araucana all together a flock of 26 with maybe 2 roos in there.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

an age old question, the answer: it depends! We had sex-links that started at 3 1/2 months (very early) and a houdan that started at 8 months (very late). I believe the average is around 5 months but no guarantees there. It is fun to wait as they get older and check and watch for signs of maturity. Enjoy your chicks, they grow up so fast!

 

[WestVermont]

What are the signs of maturity that you watch for?

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Before they start laying the hens will squat when you get near them.

 

[WestVermont]

Squat or a full sit down? Many in my flock has started sitting in the brooder!

 

[gryeyes]

No, the type of squat to which willowbranchfarrm referred is a sign of submission and readiness to mate. The pullet lowers her body, slightly spreads her wings and may even do a little stamp. This allows a rooster to mount her easily.

When any of mine squat, I give her a skritch on the back by her shoulders, another at the base of her tail feathers, then pat her gently in the middle of her back, saying, "Good girl!"

 

[kdwag]

That's funny, I have a barred rock that has always squatted whenever I pet her back and she's now just 4 months old. I keep saying she'll be my first egg layer because she's always been the first to try anything new or investigate any new changes in her coop or run.

 

[Lois Little]

I asked the clerk at Rural King where I purchased my chicks (24, 4 ea. of 6 different kinds) when they would start laying. He said anywhere from 16 wks. to 6 mos. - then he laughed and said usually about 16 wks., but he gets tired of people coming in and saying their chicks are 16 wks. old and not laying yet, so he tells them up to 6 mos! We got ours when they were 2 days old and kept them in a pen in the garage until they got too big for it. By that time my huband had constructed a nice hen house for them, attached to an existing shed and on r.r. ties. They turned 16 wks. old and not a single egg. I am not sure how long this went on until my 8 yr. old granddaughter, who kept asking me if I looked under the hen house (I said "There isn't enough room for them to lay an egg under there.") She finally took a flashlight and guess what? a bunch of eggs, just out of reach. We used a long pole to get most of them out, then sealed it up so they could not get under there. Since we could not reach all of them, we had to put up with the smell of rotten eggs for a week or so until they finally dried up. They had scratched out little bowl shaped nests under there to give them enough room to lay their eggs.

 

[WestVermont]

That must have been a huge upset to find old eggs. Thanks for the information you all have shared. I know that any day now I will find an egg... and because mine chicks are in a limited space until we replace the coop I will not have to search for our eggs....lol