How old are hens when they start laying?

[akchicken]

A friend suggested putting hard boiled eggs in the nesting boxes to help coax them into them, it worked very great! We had our first egg at about 17 or 18 weeks old. I have 5 Americana, 5 Black Jersey Giants, 6 Golden Comets, 4 New Hampshire Reds. Haven't seen any Americana eggs yet

 

[QuailQT]

My Buffy (pretty sure!) laid her first egg today!

Woo hoo! She's just a bit over 9 mos old. I hope the other two start soon too!

I think that I had (and still have) too many boys in there, though I did get rid of one rooster a few days ago. Maybe that helped. I also tried the red cayenne pepper trick that helps during the winter. Who knows, that could have helped too!

 

[QuailQT]

Quote:
I can believe this! I did get them from a good breeder and they are big girls! These are the first hens that I've raised from chicks to laying age and am still just surprised how long it's taken!

 

[banditgin]

I got my first egg on Sunday. I got the chickens from a local breeder. I got it from the hen with the comb. The other two are the same size but one is combless and the other one has a small one.

 

[steveec]

i have one hen and one cock, is this going to be a problem? do i need more hens? they are both about nine weeks old, when should hen start to lay?? please help

 

[RedDrgn]

Quote:
Crab butt?

 

[loll]

I just got 2 bearded mille fleur d'uccles adults 2days ago they are ment to be molting, and there in with a 2month old chick (breed not sure about thinking Orpington) and just found a small egg will it be one of the newbies or my chick

 

[Katelynschicks]

/img/smilies/ya.gif My Buffy (pretty sure!) laid her first egg today! /img/smilies/D.gif  Woo hoo! She's just a bit over 9 mos old. I hope the other two start soon too!


I think that I had (and still have) too many boys in there, though I did get rid of one rooster a few days ago. Maybe that helped. I also tried the red cayenne pepper trick that helps during the winter. Who knows, that could have helped too!

what's the red cheyenne pepper trick?