At what age should chickens start laying eggs?

[ellie32526]

I just got my first egg yesterday!!!YAY

Anyway, Maple , was hatched in Feb. so she is 5 mo. Old. also, I just saw my Cochin trying to mate with her. I thought my Cochin was a hen, now I don't know!! Anyone have any advice? I'm so new at this. My hen that is laying now is a Rhode Island Red. I'm confused about the whole chicken mating thing. Do hens try to mate with hens??? No crowing going on.

Why don't you take some pics and post them. I have heard of situations where there was no roo and the bossy hen would take up characteristics of the rooster, but I'm not sure exactly what that meant.

 

[cmsymons]

Hi when hens start laying their eggs, is it instinct for them to use the nesting boxes? Will I start to see eggs in the run as well? My chicks are 17 weeks just wondering what to watch for?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hi when hens start laying... is it instinct for them to use the nesting boxes?

No, their instinct is to lay in a quite and a secluded place. If that place is also the nest box then so much the better for the person gathering the eggs.


Quote: You could.


Quote: Your hens should begin to sing, their heads will redden up, their faces and combs will swell and take on the appearance of a ripe strawberry. Sometimes if your hand is held above a hen she will squat to be bred. All the above are sure signs that the egg express is building up steam and making ready to leave the station.

 

[FrancieM]

I've just started seeing eggs in a nest box. Now my Cochin that I thought was Louise is crowing & I saw "her" on top of my hen that is laying. Obviously Louise is Louie!!! My question is, should we eat the eggs since we have some chicken sex going on???? I'm so sad about the rooster. I can't have one where I live. Gotta find him a home. I'm in the Atlanta area if anyone wants a beautiful standard white Cochin rooster. No more straight run chicks for me!!!

 

[ellie32526]

Hi when hens start laying their eggs, is it instinct for them to use the nesting boxes? Will I start to see eggs in the run as well? My chicks are 17 weeks just wondering what to watch for?

They should start laying anytime after 16 weeks. Some breeds will mature earlier than others. Look at their wattles and combs. Mine got several shades redder right before they started laying. They might start going into the nest box to lay right away or they might lay in a corner of the floor. Mine lay mostly in the nest box, but every once in a while I find an egg or two on the floor. I have a 6 X * hen house and about 2 inches of sand and 4 inches of wood shavings on the floor. So they burrow down into the litter and make a nest on the floor.

 

[ellie32526]

I've just started seeing eggs in a nest box. Now my Cochin that I thought was Louise is crowing & I saw "her" on top of my hen that is laying. Obviously Louise is Louie!!! My question is, should we eat the eggs since we have some chicken sex going on???? I'm so sad about the rooster. I can't have one where I live. Gotta find him a home. I'm in the Atlanta area if anyone wants a beautiful standard white Cochin rooster. No more straight run chicks for me!!!

The eggs are fine to eat. The rooster will make a nice chicken stew if you can bring yourself to do it. Or you can give him to a needy family and they can make chicken stew, I have two roosters that were free ones thrown in to my order. I did n;t want any but I can't bring myself to kill them. I have not had any problems with them yet, but if I do I will have to do something.

 

[kmiller11]

they mostly start laying at 12-25 weeks.

Sounds like the cable guy... Be there between 9 and 5

 

[kevinmccal]

Hello! I finally found an automatic waterer at Tractor Supply that does the job but the water gets dirty so frequently and I have to turn it over a couple times per day to drain and let it refill.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/bergan-auto-watatrade;-pet-waterer

I'd love some suggestions for other automatic waterers that can be used that keep the water clean too. Has anyone found a good one? I have 18 chickens.

Thanks!

 

[CHICKLOVER69]

YOU MAY NEED TO RAISE IT A LITTLE HIGHER SO THEY CANT SLING DIRT IN IT. I WOULD RAISE IT ABOUT CHEST HIGH OR HIGHER. HIGHER THE BETTER AS LONG AS THEY CAN ALL STILL REACH IT.

 

[273816]

My beautiful Beatrice, a red sex link, is eighteen weeks old tomorrow and still no eggs. Guess I'll have to be patient.

Rachel.