How many eggs should I expect a week?

[Alex S]

I have 3 BO's and they are 18 weeks old. How many eggs should I expect a week?

Also, I haven't seen them go into the nesting boxes once by themselves. So when should I expect the ladies go and try out the nesting boxes? I have fake eggs in the boxes but they still show no interest yet.

 

[cherrynberry]

I have 3 BO's and they are 18 weeks old. How many eggs should I expect a week?

Also, I haven't seen them go into the nesting boxes once by themselves. So when should I expect the ladies go and try out the nesting boxes? I have fake eggs in the boxes but they still show no interest yet.

It may take them a few more weeks, hard to say, but usually pullets begin to lay at 20 weeks. High production birds tend to start earlier (16 weeks) and some breeds start later, at 25+ weeks. That being said, once they have started laying for about a week or two they should start to lay daily. But if there is not enough sunlight, they may take a pause in laying.

 

[Alex S]

It may take them a few more weeks, hard to say, but usually pullets begin to lay at 20 weeks. High production birds tend to start earlier (16 weeks) and some breeds start later, at 25+ weeks. That being said, once they have started laying for about a week or two they should start to lay daily. But if there is not enough sunlight, they may take a pause in laying.

Okay good to know. All of my chickens are getting their combs and waddles in but still no interest in the nesting box

 

[Alex S]

The reason I ask is because this BO looks about ready to lay!

 

[Silviaschicks]

Is she squatting for you? That's a sign she's about to lay

 

[NatJ]

How many eggs should I expect a week?

I've had some hens that laid one egg every two days (every other day.)
I've had some hens that laid eggs for two, three, or more days in a row and then took a day off.
And I've had hens that laid every day for several weeks before taking a day off.

It seems to depend on the individual hen, and I think day length affects it as well. One hen that laid daily in summer switched to a pattern of two eggs in three days when the days were shorter in fall.

Since Buff Orpingtons tend to be fairly good layers, I would probably expect 4 to 6 eggs per week per hen once they get going.

The reason I ask is because this BO looks about ready to lay!

When you're impatiently waiting, they can look like that for a very long time before any eggs appear! I don't know how many days or weeks it actually takes, but it sure feels like forever when I'm impatient.

Is she squatting for you? That's a sign she's about to lay

I've had cockerels squat, and pullets squat months before they were ready to lay, so I've concluded that I just have to wait until they lay, and I cannot predict it in any useful fashion.

 

[Alex S]

Is she squatting for you? That's a sign she's about to lay

She did her first squat today! (Or first squat for me)

 

[Alex S]

I've had some hens that laid one egg every two days (every other day.)
I've had some hens that laid eggs for two, three, or more days in a row and then took a day off.
And I've had hens that laid every day for several weeks before taking a day off.

It seems to depend on the individual hen, and I think day length affects it as well. One hen that laid daily in summer switched to a pattern of two eggs in three days when the days were shorter in fall.

Since Buff Orpingtons tend to be fairly good layers, I would probably expect 4 to 6 eggs per week per hen once they get going.


When you're impatiently waiting, they can look like that for a very long time before any eggs appear! I don't know how many days or weeks it actually takes, but it sure feels like forever when I'm impatient.


I've had cockerels squat, and pullets squat months before they were ready to lay, so I've concluded that I just have to wait until they lay, and I cannot predict it in any useful fashion.

Cockerels squat?? Also I've been impatient ever since my first hen got waddles! Also I'm glad BO's are good layers!

 

[cherrynberry]

She did her first squat today! (Or first squat for me)

Sounds and looks like she is really close. You can do the pelvic bone test also.

 

[NatJ]

Cockerels squat??

Usually not, but I had one that did. He was a Red Shouldered White Yokohama, bought as a sexed cockerel chick, squatting at about 2 months old. I'd previously had Yokohama pullets that squatted from around that age, and this bird still had a small comb and was not crowing, so I was firmly convinced it was a pullet. But within the next month he started to develop male traits (pointy saddle feathers, and extra-long tail that's a breed trait of males only.) Eventually, there was no doubt at all that he was male, but he sure had me fooled for a while!