Fifteen weeks old and waiting for eggs. Who is with me?

[cricketsfarm]

I think I got my chicks around 5-7. they are only 13 weeks old. I have a long ways to go before I see eggs. I won't see any eggs until October and maybe none until Spring from half of them. I don't have very many. I bought mine from the feed and seed store and ended up with half roos.

I have 10 new hens.

 

[whoacowboy]

I also am so thankful for this forum. I bought "16 week old" girls. But this sight has shown me they are at least 4 weeks younger than the seller said. I have compared combs and waddles only to realize my barred rock looks just behind this 16.5 weeks barred rock. So here I was thinking my girls were 23 weeks but they aren't! They are more like 19 weeks. So I have been doubly patient. I look around the run and coop like a scavenger hunt. I am officially a chicken lady and proud of it.

 

[real_redhead]

I am waiting too...thought my girls were 14-15 weeks old but I found out last week that they are probably older than what I was told!!! They have turned red and look mature! Yippee so now I am patiently waiting. I did add one EE who is doing the squat but since she just moved in with us she may be delayed a bit!! Can't wait for my first EGG!!!

 

[karlamaria]

We got our first egg last week, to date we have gotten 4 eggs from one girl, and she now goes into the coop and gets in her nest box to lay. So proud of her, but it's taking forever for her sisters who are her same age. 22 weeks. The other girls I believe will lay soon, one is getting louder and squatting when I touch her like the laying girl.

 

[Prisserbabe]

I have 8 14 week girls. No squats yet but I am patiently waiting!

Can't wait for the first egg!

Can somebody please tell me when is the common age my chicken breeds lay?

(My breeds are in my signature down there vvv)

 

[myhensanme]

Ninabeast: My barred Rock pullets are 12 weeks old, but I have raised barred Rocks for 3 years. They started laying around 20 weeks. It's not likely that they will lay an egg while out free ranging. Do you have golf balls or fake eggs in the nest boxes? Before they come into lay, they will do the characteristic squat, investigate the nest boxes, walk around inside the boxes, maybe even practice a cackle or two! They will do all this several days even weeks before laying an actual egg. Don't you just love chickens?

 

[LegginMF12]

I have 6 BO's just coming up to the 17 week mark. No squatting behaviors but combs are very red and have been for 2 weeks. I'm still waiting!

I let mine fee range during the day, they get under the bushes. I have checked for eggs under there but nada. They won't even look at the nest boxes,

 

[ninabeast]

Quote:
I was wondering myself if there is a certain time of day that they lay the eggs. My girls are free ranging all day also. Does anyone know if there is a certain time of day or is it different for every hen?

I've read here that chickens TEND to lay their eggs in the morning. I've also read 10am as a suggested time to collect eggs in extreme weather. So, that's where I got the noon idea from. That said, I've also read that it takes a while for young pullets to control their egg laying, so all bets are off at the beginning.

I let mine out at 8am this morning instead of 6:30-7, thinking to begin a transition to the noon release, and they were ticked. I am utterly convinced that they're swearing at me.

 

[ninabeast]

Quote:
Also, Coraline is the most developed of my 16.5 week old girls, by quite a bit. Her two sisters of the same age have smaller, pinker accouterments.

 

[ninabeast]

Quote:
They have had their "practice" nest box for over a week now, and there are two orange plastic Easter eggs in it, filled with a little sand. They have definitely been investigating, but also pooping! Grr. We need to get the real nesting boxes built, but I guess we have a few weeks to go. Don't tell my DH, though. It's hard enough to keep the fire lit under him!