How early have your birds started laying?

[Rockin CR]

Uh oh! My girls are 16 weeks and I just opened up the nesting boxes. I also still have them on the medicated chick starter. I've still got about a 1/4 bag left. The bag says to feed it until 18 weeks. What if they start laying before that? Do I just switch them to the layer feed then? Oh I love these girls! Never would have thought I'd get so attached to them

 

[Rockin CR]

Ok so I did a little research and answered my own question

. The "medicine" in the feed stays in the chicken's digestive tract and is not absorbed by the chicken so it is not passed on to the egg. The eggs will be safe to eat but I will need to change the feed once they start laying and make calcium available.

 

[chickenlily13]

I just bought layer feed and gradually mixed it in and used it all up! Your birds are free ranging a bit and they will be fine , crush up egg shells now and then , it will help. You will have eggs galore before you know it!

 

[cjqsmom]

What and How is that stamp on the egg?

 

[philipchickymad]

will my pullets start laying in the winter because they are due to lay soon and winter is quickly falling upon us in irealnd

 

[Rockin CR]

Our first egg!

The girls are 19 weeks old today. We have 3 Golden Buffs, 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Easter Eggers. I think the egg is from one of the Golden Buffs. Their combs are bright red and they have all three been doing the squat. I am so thrilled! Can't wait to see the next one

 

[Ninamm]

we got our first egg from one of our RIR!!!

She has laid 3 so far and they are soo cute. Now if only the other 2 RIR

will start. They have been in and out of the boxes alot so I think soon.

 

[philipchickymad]

will my pullets start laying as its coming up to winter or will they wait till spring

 

[KowTippin]

I'm so anxious waiting for my girls to get with the egg laying program!! They are all 18 weeks today!! I have 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Golden Buffs, 2 Easter Eggers, 2 White Leghorns, a Partridge Silkie, a Black Jersey Giant, & a Buff Orpington (I always want to say and a Partridge in a pear tree after listing the group off!). They are so cute the rocks, buffs & leghorns waddles started growing over night last week and they are red, their combs range from pink to red but I think they are still a few weeks away just because no one is dancing yet. It's like Christmas Eve every day going out to see if they miraciously produced an egg for me, I know probably not but a girl can hope!!

 

[mountainlady]

Our Golden Campines started laying early, at 18 or 19 weeks. Once one did it, all the rest had to follow her footsteps!