Hen not laying

[thatarcheryguy]

I bought 6 chicks back in March I believe, and turns out 5 of them were roosters and 1 was a hen. I'm new to having chickens and don't know what of chicken it is, but it's brown and white. About a month after I got them and put them outside we got 7 baby bantams, well about 3 days ago I found an egg in the laying box (I believe it was a bantams) So my question is, why are the bantams starting to lay before the older hen is? My other question is would it be okay to leave them in the pen? I live in Alabama and its been 95+ with the heat index over 100. I have an incubator but my mom told me to leave them in the pen because it was easier, what do yall think?

 

[Chick whisper]

Not in the coop, but in the pen would be fine....if it is not too crowded

 

[thatarcheryguy]

I'm trying to get rid of all the big roosters except one so their not as crowded. I have 3 nesting boxes in the back of the coop that the eggs are in but I wasn't sure if the heat would affect the eggs or not. Also the roosters like to lay in the nesting boxes and sleep.

 

[Chick whisper]

Are you talking like a coop that is closed in, like a house or something just with chicken wire around it, acting as a pen????

 

[thatarcheryguy]

I have a 5'×5' coop with brooding boxes with access to a 8'×8' run. It is all fenced in because we live close to the woods and don't feel comfortable letting them run free

 

[Chick whisper]

I would say let them go to the 8x8 area as week because it might be too hot for them in just the coop...but that should be good

 

[Chick whisper]

As well*** not as week

 

[thatarcheryguy]

They have access to both, the door stays open so they can go in and out of the coop when they want. I was just wondering if it would be okay to leave the eggs in the nesting box to hatch because one egg has been in there since Wednesday and every time I go out there the hen is never in the Ness so we have no clue which hens eggs they are

 

[Chick whisper]

That wouLd be fine to leave them in there

 

[thatarcheryguy]

Even without the hen laying on them? I haven't seen the hen laying on them at all. Sorry about all the questions, I'm new and excited lol