can someone give me a answer to my question

[kar8mr]

I have Rhode island Reds and got them jan. 3.They were two weeks old when I got them, so that makes them around 21 weeks. They have not started laying. I am giving them laying mash but i had someone tell me that since they were born before may that they won't lay until august. Is this try and if not anyone know when they should start laying??I thought they would be already laying but i was wrong.thanks karen

 

[KellyHM]

The average for them to start laying is around 24 weeks, but can take up to 30. Being born before May doesn't mean anything in itself.

 

[old mill poultry]

IT should be any time now. Mine actually don't usually start til around week 24 so It might be a couple more weeks. Rir are good layers so watch out! Once they start you will be having tons of eggs!

 

[sred98]

Have they started doing "The Squat" when you get near them? They'll spread their wings and squat down. It's pretty soon after that. I think mine laid within 2 weeks of starting that.

Shelly

 

[kar8mr]

thanks for all the answers, I will just sit back and wait...Someone came by and could hear all my hens singing and said it should be soon.But now i will quite worrying and wait.again thank you.

 

[lashawnb]

My Brahmas were born last May and I didn't get any eggs until DECEMBER!!

 

[detroit313]

I'm having a similar problem, maybe someone can answer it. My little one already did "The Squat." LOL its so funny. And she laid her first one on May 11th, the second one came on the 14th; and after that . . . NO MORE!!!

What happened? Anyone?

Jonathan

 

[rigagirl]

I have RIR and they started just a couple days short of 6 months

 

[lovin'mychicks]

I am sure that some others will chime in...

but although there are general rules about when/how frequent they will lay there are many factors that go into it I will list a few that I know of.

First...you need the age. Some birds (birds not breeds) will start laying as early as 18-20 weeks. Others may be 30 weeks before the first egg.

Next, LIGHT. The amount of daylight they have each day affects the number of eggs they lay. This is a big one. Sometimes I even get less eggs on rainy days when the hens hang out in the coop most of the day.

Also, diet and metabolism. I feed layer mash and my birds free range. Again, if they hang out in the coop all day or I have them up in the run for a day or two production decreases.

Too, it takes then a while to start producing on a regular (everyday) basis. They may go a day or two in between when they first start. If I have a few low production days I feel of my birds bellies (underside) to make sure they do not have an egg that is stuck or anything. But it took my hens about a month to be consistent. For example, I have 12 laying hens in one area, for the first month I got about 5-6 eggs per day, then up to 9 per day, now I get 11 or 12 every day.


It just takes time.

You guys seem to be doing a wonderful job! Waiting is hard!!!

 

[lovin'mychicks]

lovin'mychicks :

For example, I have 12 laying hens in one area, for the first month I got about 5-6 eggs per day, then up to 9 per day, now I get 11 or 12 every day.

By First month, I was referring to the first month they were laying (about 18-20) weeks for these particular australorps.

Just wanted to clear that up!​