How old do Buff Orphingtons have to be to lay eggs?

[dillydudeman]

I was wondering if anybody knew how old Buff orphington chickens are when they start laying eggs? (Im new to the site and was just figuring out how to use the site so if i didnt post this in the right spot let me know lol)

 

[speckledhen]

Depends on whether they are hatchery stock or good breeder stock. (btw, there is no "h" in Orpington

) . Hatchery birds will lay earlier than breeder stock, probably anywhere from 20-26 weeks old, but it's really more of an individual thing than a breed thing. Breeder stock tends to lay much later, over 30 weeks oftentimes.

Welcome to BYC! I moved your thread here to Breeds.



ETA: My breeder quality Buff Orpington pullets didn't start laying until about 35 weeks old. My hatchery Buffs began about 19-22 weeks.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

*Orpington. All different breeds (who are pullets and are under one year) will start laying at around 5-7 months.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

*Orpington. All different breeds (who are pullets and are under one year) will start laying at around 5-7 months.

Are you saying that all breeds start laying in that time-frame? if so, you are not correct. A few breeds lay very early, at about four months, and some lay very late--9-10 months, and sometimes not until they are over a year old.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Oops! Yes you are correct! I do have a Orp, she did start laying at 4-5 months, my Jersey Giant layed at 8 or nine months..so many things on my mind, a critter was digging under my chickens coop. A Leghorn has a nosebleed last night then it stopped and cleared early this morning after the hens picked on her....

 

[dillydudeman]

Depends on whether they are hatchery stock or good breeder stock. (btw, there is no "h" in Orpington

) . Hatchery birds will lay earlier than breeder stock, probably anywhere from 20-26 weeks old, but it's really more of an individual thing than a breed thing. Breeder stock tends to lay much later, over 30 weeks oftentimes.

Welcome to BYC! I moved your thread here to Breeds.



ETA: My breeder quality Buff Orpington pullets didn't start laying until about 35 weeks old. My hatchery Buffs began about 19-22 weeks.

Thanks for all the information everybody. I still have a question for speckledhen though..... what would be the difference between breeder birds and hatchery birds that make the hatchery birds start to lay earlier? (because you are right, i do notice that trend)

 

[CarolinaHens]

My Buffs are 23 weeks old and just got our first 3 eggs this morning! I thought this day would NEVER come