chicks laying eggs

[55885100]

i have 12 chicks, 3 new hampshires, 4 silver layced whyendotes and 5 red sex-links. ive gone to a lot of websites to try and figure out when they will start laying.
got any ideas.

 

[peruvian_princess]

My RIRs Didnt lay until they were about 5-6 months old. Maybe different breeds are different.

 

[Stella1964]

They start laying anywhere from 18 weeks to 24 weeks of age. You'll notice they're ready to start any time when they squat on the ground when you walk up to them and make motions to pick them up...sort of like they don't want to leave their eggs if they were sitting on some I guess.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I have a silver laced wyandotte that's about 10 weeks (2/22 hatch) and she already does the egg-squat...

is she an early bloomer?

 

[55885100]

thanks

 

[Stella1964]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

I have a silver laced wyandotte that's about 10 weeks (2/22 hatch) and she already does the egg-squat...

is she an early bloomer?

that would be really early! i honestly don't know anything about the wyandotte breed but perhaps she's getting ready, practicing the stance?!

 

[Stella1964]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

I have a silver laced wyandotte that's about 10 weeks (2/22 hatch) and she already does the egg-squat...

is she an early bloomer?

I just noticed you're in Alaska! Cool! When you have 24 hour sun, do you put your chickens in the dark for a while to simulate day/night, and likewise for winter darkness, you must keep lights on virtually all the time, do you? I'm curious. And how do they manage the winter temps?​

 

[55885100]

maybe

 

[Mrs MIA]

I'm guessing 95% of my hens started laying at 5-6 months, with the exception of the silkie which took about 8 months. I noticed that this particular Wyandotte would squat when I held her at about 6 weeks, which I think is odd. I'm not complaining, but it's the first Wyandotte I've had so I wasn't sure about the breed.
I supplement with lights on timers in the winter, but in the summer there's not much I can do about it. They go to bed in the coop on their own at about 10pm, I guess. Here on the Peninsula, we don't get a full 24 hours of sunlight - that's only above the Arctic Circle - but from Memorial Day to Labor Day we don't ever see the stars because even after the sun goes down it's still twilight. Light enough to tie your fishing flies, or play softball...

It's weird being out at 11:30pm and needing sunglasses because the sun is still up.

The chickens do really well, though.

In the winter I have a heat lamp in the coop, keeps the water and eggs above freezing.