Buffs are 18 weeks old, no eggs

[Gatordog]

My Buffs are 18 weeks old and I have 14 hens and 2 roos, and no eggs as of yet. When should they start laying? I have 2 Red sex links that are over a year old and they are laying just fine, a egg a day for the most part. I also have 3 Golden Cockoo Marans hens and 1 Golden Roo, does anybody know when these start laying eggs?

I have 6 nesting boxes and a nice Coop that is 3 by 5 with two runs, but they are let out everyday.

 

[Judy]

18 weeks is a little soon. They start at different times, according to breed, line or breeding, individual variations, etc. I've only rarely had one start before 20 weeks. Some pullets take over a year to lay.

 

[New Chicken Lad]

I have 3 buff orpingtons (assuming that's what you mean by buffs)... My first started laying at 24 weeks, 2nd @ 28 weeks & 3rd @ 30 weeks..

 

[chickenbythesea]

24 weeks is the average for chickens... can vary by the breed but that's usually the earliest they'll lay.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

My buff orp is 22 weeks. Her face just started turning red about a week ago and her pin bones are not three fingers apart yet, so I figure she'll lay around last of June, first of July, which would be 26 weeks. My barred rock laid at 18 weeks and my Easter Egger laid at 17 weeks. My australorpe looks like she'll lay within the week at 23 weeks. Huge red comb and wattles and 2 3/4 fingers between pin bones. The faces of my 22 week old white jersey, buff brahma and BLRW are getting pretty red, but I think they'll be at least 6-8 weeks yet.

 

[New Chicken Lad]

forgot to mention in my previous post, my buffs started laying after their combs & waddles were full in and bright firetruck red.

 

[Gatordog]

Thanks for the info, All hens are the same age they were shipped from Meyer on 1-29-2013 I think, but a few already have large combs and waddles. The Golden Cockoo Marans are not as mature looking, so I guess the ones that are more developed will start laying first.

This is my third year to raise chickens and the first year I only had 3 hens, and 3 Roos. All of these got killed by Hawks and wild animals. The next year I got 8 hens from TSC and 2 made it without being eaten by critters. This year I have much more birds, so once they start laying I will have to sell or give the eggs to the local soup kitchen.

I have a new dog that alerts the hens if there is any trouble, and maybe that will help. The new dog, Prissy, likes to pickup the hens and carry them by their tails. She does not hurt them, just likes to pick them up and carry them to a spot and then she licks them under their wings and butts. I tell her to put the chicken down, but it is hard to say when your are laughing so hard. If the hens get in Prissy's fenced in yard, she will picked them up and drop them outside the gate, one after another, again funny stuff.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

We most definitely will need VIDEO of this! Seriously, we need video. Lol.

 

[Stumpy]

We most definitely will need VIDEO of this! Seriously, we need video. Lol.

Yes, please!

 

[Gatordog]

I do not know how to post video's and I don't have permission to add attachments. but here is Gator (the good dog) with his peeps