Eggs at 4 months? Wow!

[mzimmers]

My leghorns started laying about a week ago. They're just barely 4 months old now...isn't that rather early? Not complaining, just curious. I'm not feeding them any hormone-laden food or anything...

 

[chickens really]

Nope that's normal for hybrid layers.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

My leghorns started laying about a week ago. They're just barely 4 months old now...isn't that rather early? Not complaining, just curious. I'm not feeding them any hormone-laden food or anything...

Leghorns start anywhere from 16 weeks and up so it is not unusual. Are they white/brown leghorns or a hybrid breed?

 

[aart]

They're just barely 4 months old now

So like 15 weeks old?

 

[Ridgerunner]

A four month old chick is about 17 weeks old. That means they started laying at about 16 weeks. Could be a day or two off if it included February but 4 months back from today does not.

@mzimmers I've had different pullets, hatchery birds or crosses of hatchery birds of various breeds, lay their first egg at 16 weeks. That happened twice in ten years. I've never had one lay earlier than that but that doesn't mean they could not. 16 weeks is a little early but it's not that uncommon for a production breed like leghorns.

 

[mzimmers]

Leghorns start anywhere from 16 weeks and up so it is not unusual. Are they white/brown leghorns or a hybrid breed?

They're all white. Thanks for the information; I had no idea that any breeds started that soon.

 

[ticketism]

My first lot of pullets ended up with one Orpington starting to lay literally on the day she turned 17 weeks old. She continued to lay every day and they were all totally perfect eggs (no soft shells or strange wrinkles or double yolkers etc) for years, so we called her Chai the wonder chicken, haha. Some chooks just get the jump on it, maybe we could say they're early bloomers. My Australorp started laying at about 16/17 weeks old, in the nesting box from the start, and has been my best layer yet. My buff sussex is at least 2-3 weeks older and hasn't even started laying yet, making her the only one in the flock who doesn't (besides my old light sussex who 'went rooster' a couple of years back and never lays at all anymore so I don't count her when it comes to egg output). They're animals, there's always going to be some variability to how they mature, I suppose if she's ready then she's ready! Might be a good idea to supplement some high protein treats and ensure she's getting access to shell grit though just to make sure she's not getting unwell by 'overproducing'.