HELP! FIRST CHICKENS EVER OWN!

[cash money]

We had a welsamer that didn't start to lay till it was 8 months old and another star to lay at 6 months it really depends on the individual bird

 

[BethanyS]

I know they don't NEED a Rooster to lay but i was told by an older farmer the Rooster mating stimulates hens the begin laying.

 

[BethanyS]

This holds true helping induce labor for pregnant woman so I'm not opposed to the thought

 

[lazy gardener]

I believe that having a rooster in the flock DOES stimulate the pullets to start laying sooner. A neighbor who lived 2 miles away got EE chicks from the same source on the same day that I did last year. I had roos in my flock (hatched that spring, and sowing their oats freely by the time the pullets were 15 weeks old.) I did give my girls more protein, and they got fermented feed, but they started laying at least 2 weeks earlier than the neighbor's flock. Same thing this year. My pullets started laying 2 weeks earlier than the pullets from 3 other flocks, all 3 of those flocks had chicks that I hatched and gave to them. (The 3rd flock ended up with all roosters from my hatch, which were culled.) So, I want to state that the roosters play a role in the early laying, though it could be also related to the fermented feed or the extra protein. Either way, I consider those early eggs to be a wonderful bonus.

So, to clarify, you don't need a rooster to get eggs, but the rooster may get you eggs earlier.

 

[Chicky91]

Well thanks alot. I hope they start laying soon. Do these chicken do well in winter?

 

[cash money]

They should do good I would still put a heat lamp in the coop to help avoid frost bite to those combs

 

[aart]

Those sure look like Welsummer hens, but I've never seen one with a comb that big...looks like a leghorn comb.

Where did you get them and where are you located?
Welsummer can take a long time to lay...a year is not unheard of.

 

[Chicky91]

In from Trumbull Connecticut. We got them from my sons grandfather. he said the chickens weren't getting along with the others so he gave them to us. They're Portuguese and grew up on a farm in Portugal as kids lol