My 16 week chick(hen) layed an egg!

[gillianmomx5]

Okay all,
How is this possible? I didn't expect any eggs for at least another month, but when I went to check on the girls one of them was acting a little off, so as I was checking around the coop...there it was a little brown speckly egg...the momma was a barred rock. It wasn't very large, but has a lot of speckling on it ( I am guessing that is the bloom). I am so excited though. But is it okay for her to be laying this early? Guess I will need to switch them to layer feed...So they are all about 16 weeks. I have 6 barred rocks and 6 unknown reds (everyone seems to have a different opinion on what they actually are). Let me know if this is okay...I certainly don't mind the eggs coming this soon.
Thanks all for all your support.

 

[eggsited chickens]

Sounds good to me!!! Ive got some barred rocks too, only they are 4 weeks old. I can't wait until they are laying eggs, although they are still sweet now!

 

[wohneli]

very cool!
where did you get her from and was she day old when you got her?

 

[SunAngel]

Congrats!

Would be nice if all chickens started laying that young! All the people having to wait til 28-30 weeks, might not be going as crazy lol

 

[gillianmomx5]

We got the girls from our local feed store. I think they get them from Privett in New Mexico. We are so thrilled that she is laying. How fun for our kids!

 

[debakadeb]

How exciting

If you collect the egg right after it is laid, you'll notice that it is a bit damp. That is the bloom, I believe.

 

[cimarron]

lucky you! got an early bloomer. we have 5 different kinds of hens and the barred rocks were about 3--5 weeks ahead of the others. all five kinds were laying by 6 months. i think our barred rocks were about 19 weeks old when they started. and the smaller of the two laid first! barred rocks are great chickens. they're total busybodies. they're the first to want to know what's going on and the first to jump in your lap...and the first to start giving you breakfast!

 

[jenjscott]

My red stars all started laying between 16 and 18 weeks. Sometimes it seems like the color doesn,t get laid on right and they end up all speckled.

 

[Big C]

Congrats!!! Ours (barred,austrolorps, red leghorns) are at 12 weeks now.

 

[stormylady]

Wow! Lucky you! how come when there growing the weeks seems to pass by so fast! then when your waiting on that first egg, the whole concept of time changes and every day just seems to drag by. LOL Then I read here 28-30 weeks

Ill never make it that long
I hope one at least one of my girls starts before week 20.! Funny story, I was outside today and heard this loud cackling and carrying on in the coop and got all excited, went running in there to see if someone had left me an egg, Not! It was a silly young Roo feeling his oats!I guess he was practicing his Rooster dance! because everyone else was outside and there he was running and spinning around having a blast all by his little lonesome doofy boys! LOL He is such a little Dweeb but I love him anyway!