Is There A Website That ...

[Gatekeeper]

tells us when certain breeds should start laying?

I have birds that I bought from a hatchery in later May.

I know it varies by breed but is there a site that can estimate when say a Speckled Sussex should start laying or Welsummer etc?


Gate

 

[jimnjay]

www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

This website has lots of information about different breeds.

My Speckled Sussex last year took a full 6 months to lay the first eggs. The good thing is the eggs were pretty big at the get go.

 

[Gatekeeper]

JimnJay TY

My S. Sussex are 4 months old now. So I have another 2 months at least.

I've been to that site before, a very informative site but it doesn't give any ideas how long it takes for the breeds to mature and lay.

Gate

 

[hinkjc]

Average is 20-26 weeks. Some earlier and some longer (and a few a lot longer).

Jody

 

[jimnjay]

The chart does give a general idea in the second to last column. It will say late to mature or early maturing. That lets you know if they will lay early or take longer.

The earliest I have heard of a Chicken to begin laying is 18 weeks. As Jody said some take much longer. It also depends on the season they were hatched in. If they reach maturity when the days are getting longer they will lay earlier. If you wait to hatch them out late in the summer they will most likely not lay till Mid-late Spring when the days are longer. It depends on the breed and the genetics of your particular line.