First egg!

[sammi_lynn12]

I got my first egg on Saturday from my Rhode Island Red hen! She laid Saturday and today but my question is why aren't my Australorps laying yet?

My two autralorps are three weeks older than the rest of flock and have not laid yet. My barred rocks and RIR are the same age and as of right now just my one RIR has begun laying. It's not a big deal, I was so happy to get my first egg on Saturday but was just curious as to why the older two wouldn't of been the first to lay or at least begin laying around the same time.

Who knows, maybe they will and will surprise me within the next few days!

Thanks!

 

[fluffycrow]

Congrats on your first egg, that's always SUPER exciting! As for why your australorps aren't laying yet, different chickens have different biological clocks, so it's not always a matter of age. It may be a seasonal thing as well. If you'd like, you can post a picture of your australorp's wattles, so we can take a look, usually, they turn more red when they're close to laying

 

[Acre4Me]

RIR tend to be an earlier layer. How old are these pullets?

Around 22 weeks old is a good estimate for most breeds, but a high production breed (like Leghorn or RIR) could be as young as 16-18 weeks old.

Once, we had Dark Brown Leghorns (exhibition quality, so bred for show and adherence to standards), that didn’t lay until over 40 weeks old…and they were a Feb hatch and leghorns!! Shocked us, but that was an exception.

 

[sammi_lynn12]

Congrats on your first egg, that's always SUPER exciting! As for why your australorps aren't laying yet, different chickens have different biological clocks, so it's not always a matter of age. It may be a seasonal thing as well. If you'd like, you can post a picture of your australorp's wattles, so we can take a look, usually, they turn more red when they're close to laying

I will have to get updated pictures today or tomorrow but I will say my one australorps wattles are bright red and big and the other ones is not quite as large or red yet but getting there. Now that you say that, I have noticed the last two weeks everyone's wattles are getting red though and bigger so that is good to know. Thanks!

 

[sammi_lynn12]

RIR tend to be an earlier layer. How old are these pullets?

Around 22 weeks old is a good estimate for most breeds, but a high production breed (like Leghorn or RIR) could be as young as 16-18 weeks old.

Once, we had Dark Brown Leghorns (exhibition quality, so bred for show and adherence to standards), that didn’t lay until over 40 weeks old…and they were a Feb hatch and leghorns!! Shocked us, but that was an exception.

I got mine from TSC. My RIR and Barred Rocks were a couple days old the second week of September. My australorps were already three weeks old at that point and they basically gave them to me to get them gone lol so I would say my australorps are roughly 22-23 weeks old.

 

[Acre4Me]

I got mine from TSC. My RIR and Barred Rocks were a couple days old the second week of September. My australorps were already three weeks old at that point and they basically gave them to me to get them gone lol so I would say my australorps are roughly 22-23 weeks old.

Ok. Light was decreasing until Dec 22, and is now increasing. The increasing light tells the chickens to begin to lay again (or to start). It is common for fall chicks to begin a bit later in age because of the waning then increasing light. We got several chicks (around 15 of various breeds - but no RIR or BA in that batch) in Mid-August, so they are just coming up to 24 weeks old, and they are not yet laying.

 

[sammi_lynn12]

Ok. Light was decreasing until Dec 22, and is now increasing. The increasing light tells the chickens to begin to lay again (or to start). It is common for fall chicks to begin a bit later in age because of the waning then increasing light. We got several chicks (around 15 of various breeds - but no RIR or BA in that batch) in Mid-August, so they are just coming up to 24 weeks old, and they are not yet laying.

Oh okay! I honestly figured it wouldn't be until March before any of them would lay but my RIR surprised me!

 

[fluffycrow]

Some chickens just have different biological clocks at "alarms" of sorts. Your RIR just happened to be one of those more early layers, as well as one of those hens that start laying eggs again soon in the season, very recently after light hours increase

 

[Jen1131]

Oh okay! I honestly figured it wouldn't be until March before any of them would lay but my RIR surprised me!

our lavender Ameraucana laid her first egg this week. She has laid 3 eggs in 4 days. We have two other a barred rock and cream leg bar who are same age , bright red wattles and nothing!

 

[ShaunJ421]

All of my chicks hatched August 28th. I have 14 pullets, of 10 different breeds. And at least 8 of my 14 pullets have just started laying within the past week and a half. I just got my first bluish green egg yesterday. But not sure who laid it. LOL Like you, I wasn't expecting any until spring. I got 7 eggs today, but no bluish green egg.