laying age VS free range or coop

[samsr]

I am definately new to the chicken scene and am trying to make a comparison between the age of free ranging chickens when they start to lay eggs AND coop raised chickens and when they start to lay. I dont know if this has been covered before or not, but am intrigued as to the results.

 

[Judy]

"Free range" and "coop raised" are not really clear groups. Do you mean 24/7 in one place or the other? Day for free range and night for coop raised?

 

[samsr]

Free range, I am considering free range part time or full time. Coop raised, would mean always in the coop. Never let out for one reason or another. I guess I would like to consider this a science project of such. I would like to gather information on the difference in age of free ranging chickens and coop raised chickens and see if the free rangging chickens lay earlier or later than the hens always in the coop. I guess an reply would look something like this

Free ranging chickens started to lay at 20 months. OR
Coop raised started laying at 20 months.

I hope this makes more sense.

 

[laura625]

As far as i have been able to ascertain, there is no no effect on age at start of lay.
I am saying this because what I have seen presented as the age chi kens should begin, or have begun to lay eggs. Is the same whatever the coop/ range situation.
I am not aware of any actual study having been done.
We let our chickens spend all day long outside of any coop or pen, and in a predetor proof coop at night. As soon as they are old enough to be safe. So they are inside some sort of tractor type enclosure from when they leave the brooder untill they are probably 5 weeks old. They dont sleep outside in the coop until a certain age either....but at about 5weeks they start to ne outside all day.
That's just Our house other oeople have other combos of coop time/ free time/ pen time, pastured in a tracktor...
You could do a comparison if you were very specific about your oerameters.

Just yesterday i visited a breeder whos chicks moved from brooder to a chicken barn where they spent the rest of thier lives in one of the Manymany wire oens divided by agereed/ gender... her pullets started laying,, she sad, right around 20 weeks, same.as mine.
Only our second year with chicks, but all have started to lay right on schedule.