How long do the chickens need to be laying

[Lovnlife]

I was wondering how long the chickens need to be laying before you should try hatching out their eggs?

 

[Judy]

They should be fertile within a very few days of the rooster mating them. However, the first eggs that pullets lay are smaller than what they will lay when they mature a little more, perhaps in a couple of months. The larger eggs seem to have a better chance at hatching healthy chicks. Those first pullet eggs don't provide much growing room.

Here is how to tell whether your eggs are fertile:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

 

[stevetone]

I think your question is at what age do the pullets start producing eggs that, when fertilized, are hatchable?

Well, you asked when to try, and I would try incubating them after I thought a roo had successfully mated with them.

Once they start laying they are sexually mature enough to produce chicks, assuming their eggs are fertile. I have read that the success rate for "beginning" layers might be lower than average, but I would not let that stop me from trying.

Give 'er a go and see what happens

 

[Lovnlife]

Thank you! Mine have been laying for awhile and the eggs are getting larger by the day. I'm curious to see what happens, so I think I'll give her a go. The roo has been with them too.