BO's & GLW's combs and wattles turning red.

[sreihart]

How long is it usually, once they've turned completely red, until they begin to lay for these breeds? I'm not in a big hurry because the coop isn't finished just yet! They will be 16 weeks old on Wednesday Sept. 1st.

 

[mk4lh]

My BO's started laying at 20 weeks. However it's not unusual for them to start earlier

 

[andythescot]

My BOs are almost six months old (a week away!) and one of them has bright red comb and wattles, and the other has duller comb and wattles.. Naturally I expect the one with the darker comb to lay first..

 

[Cindy in PA]

My Bo's always layed at 19-20 weeks. This is my first time with Wyandottes & one of my Columbians layed her first egg today. She'll be 20 weeks tomorrow. Her comb has been big & red for a few weeks.

 

[sreihart]

So should I feel comfortable with say, three weeks until they begin? The combs and wattles just started to turn a couple of days ago and some of them haven't changed at all.

 

[mk4lh]

Since you're waiting for the first eggs, it'll seem like months before it happens. LOL You could have your first egg tomorrow or a month from now. It's really hard to pin an exact date down for them. Good Luck.

 

[tammyd57]

I have two young Orpington/Wyandotte/Cochin cross pullets that just started laying this week. They were 16 weeks old to the day when they laid their first eggs. But their mom didn't start laying until she was 20 weeks. Their younger sisters are turning red and beginning to check out the nests and they are 15 weeks, so I'm expecting eggs from at least two of them within the next couple of weeks.
I guess anywhere from 4 to 6 months would be normal and average for most breeds.

 

[sreihart]

Quote:
Oh my! I'm in big trouble then. My Wyandottes have been much more red and for quite a while longer than the Buff Orpingtons, so they could conceivably begin laying any time. Yikes! They're in an 8x8 and five foot high tractor at the moment. Do you think that I should put a box in the tractor in case one of them decides she needs to lay? Will the others let her alone? Seems that I'm always a day late and a dollar short.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

You could put in a milk crate (or box) with hay in it, just to see what happens. But when one is ready to lay, she will lay whether or not there is a nest for her. She'll just lay it out on the ground. So I wouldn't really worry about it.