Laying age

[Robert McGaughey]

All my chickens are 18 wks old. How much longer do I have for any of these. 6-RIR, 8- BR, 2-GLW, 1-WL and 1-CW. My wife is one that's interested, I told her they'll probly be around 22 to 24 wks old before they start. I'm going to go and hang me a light for them tomorrow and set-up my timer, that'll help from what I understand.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You're very close at 18 weeks, but there's still time for fuller development. Remember also that they don't just start up and go at full speed. They'll drop some little ones and such for two week. Patience. The light is fine, but cannot change the biologically required time.

 

[Robert McGaughey]

Fred's Hens :

You're very close at 18 weeks, but there's still time for fuller development. Remember also that they don't just start up and go at full speed. They'll drop some little ones and such for two week. Patience. The light is fine, but cannot change the biologically required time.

Thank you

 

[FreeRunRevolution]

My 4 littlest girls just started Laying. They hatched out the last week of August (24th) and began to give a little brown egg now and then 14 days ago (I began to find 1 or 2 in the nest). Since then they have gone full-steam-ahead, and these past days every one of them has layed one egg a day! They are still small eggs but a joy to find. I am even wondering if I have another hen (from a different batch) that is laying 2 eggs on some days! She is my only white egg layer, and I have found 2 white eggs in the nest on 3 occasions recently, including a jumbo double yolker....i wonder is it possible???

 

[Mrs. K]

you are getting close! Are they squatting, or combs turning red. The day length is naturally getting longer now (if you are in the northern hemisphere, several Aussies here) So adding a light won't help much. It is an impatient wait! but so much fun! Breakfast is coming!

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Each girl will lay when she is ready.. I really don't think it has anything to do w/ breeds. I have RIR, BR, BO, EE, Marans and true Ameraucanas. The earliest layer was 25 weeks old when we got our first egg. The oldest has been 36weeks old.. Most were around 30weeks.. I will never start to look for eggs until they are 30+weeks old.. That way, I am not disappointed when they don't lay earlier..

My nephew has sex link and they were 17weeks old when they started.

 

[Kathleen1115]

Our six started at various points between 19 and 23 weeks. Two almost immediately began giving an egg a day and the other four have been more variable. Yesterday was the first time we got six eggs in one day and we did again today (although one was a rubber egg).

 

[duckking]

My RIRs and GLWs started laying at 22 weeks. Remember, the eggs are small to begin with, but I notice they seem to be getting a little larger now (almost 24 weeks). I thought there was something wrong at first as I was expecting these large eggs right away. But it's normal. Happy egg-hunting soon!

 

[AussieChook]

When should we put the nesting box in the coop? Is it ever too early or too late? Our girls are still a few months off laying (they're 12-14 weeks) and we haven't had the nesting box in there yet because it takes up lots of room.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Too soon. They will just make a mess of them. Once they start showing the maturity signs, wide spread reddish combs and squatting, then you can put the boxes in.