How old are my chickens?

[RhodeIslandGuy]

Hey there. I recently bought four Rhode Island reds and was wondering how old they are. They still can't lay eggs. I purposely bought them a bit young so they would be friendly towards me and my family. I'll add a picture of them down below. Thanks a head of time!

 

[1muttsfan]

They appear to be close to lay, their combs are large and pink. Have they started squatting, and do you see them in the nest boxes messing around yet?

 

[RhodeIslandGuy]

Thank you very much for your information. They usually sleep up in the nest boxes but they all sleep in the Same box.

 

[gillisjordan]

Try placing golf balls inside their nest boxes. This should teach them to lay in their boxes and it might break them from of all going into the same box. They will be fighting once they begin laying because they will all want to lay in the same nest.

 

[aart]

Thank you very much for your information. They usually sleep up in the nest boxes but they all sleep in the Same box.

You really don't want them sleeping in the nest boxes...they poop a lot during the night and then you'll have poopy eggs or be cleaning them out everyday.
Do they have a roost, at least one foot higher than the nests?
Is that your coop in the pic in the first post.....it's not enclosed for protection from weather and nigh time predators?

 

[RhodeIslandGuy]

Thanks guys. I added a couple of planks high up and now they've stopped sleeping in the nesting boxes. There arent many predators where I live. There are cats but they can't get in. There's a roof up top against rain. The conditions don't get too bad here (the coldest would be 7 degrees) and the chickens are pretty hardy. On another note I was thinking of getting a silkie as a new edition for the coop. I'm afraid that they might peck him to death. What do you think about the matter?
Ps: my chicken are very friendly towards me and each other. They eat out of my hand and they love being pet.

 

[gillisjordan]

You should be fine adding a silkie to your flock. Like any flock they will set him into their pecking order and give him a hard time for a little bit but by the next morning they should all be friends! I have added a few different times into my flock and as long as the hens you're adding are fully feathered 98-10 weeks) then you shouldn't have much to worry about. We have seen some pretty good brawls in our coop but nothing to worry about. They get over it just as fast as it starts!