My very first eggs!!

[Marinefam2053]

Out of my 8 hens, five of them are 24ish weeks old and only 1 of them has started laying. I now have 2 eggs in my basket and I’m very excited for the others to start laying. My 3 younger hens (Barred Rocks) are 21/22 weeks old. Anyone know when I can expect them to start laying?

I’m attaching pics... the one on the left was laid yesterday and the one on the right today. Of my 5 older hens, 1 is a Rhode Island and the other 4 are (I was told Americana) but they fit the characteristics of Easter Eggers.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

I'd say that if one has started laying, you could start expecting eggs from the others within the next few weeks or so. Though, if where you live you're having shorter days, they may not start until spring when the days get longer.

 

[aart]

Congrats!

Here's some tips on how to tell....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

All your birds are pullets, not hens.
FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[Marinefam2053]

Congrats!

Here's some tips on how to tell....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

All your birds are pullets, not hens.
FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

Thanks for the educational piece! I’m still learning.

Also, thanks to your information, I have nailed down which one of my pullets have started laying! It’s our girl named Olympia, one of the EE.

 

[Marinefam2053]

Now that I’ve established who is laying. Is it possible that she will not lay an egg every day starting out? She hasn’t produced today, and I just want to make sure this is normal. She was sitting in the nest box for a while and after I saw her come out I waited to make sure she wasn’t going to go back in. I finally checked and no egg. Again, I’m still learning, but I want to make sure that she’s ok too.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

Now that I’ve established who is laying. Is it possible that she will not lay an egg every day starting out? She hasn’t produced today, and I just want to make sure this is normal. She was sitting in the nest box for a while and after I saw her come out I waited to make sure she wasn’t going to go back in. I finally checked and no egg. Again, I’m still learning, but I want to make sure that she’s ok too.

This is completely normal. When they first start laying, they often will lay off and on, even regularly laying hens won't lay an egg everyday. You'll notice that with time, her laying will get more regular, and the size of the eggs will increase a bit as well. Don't be surprised if when your other girls start laying you find a very small egg, sometimes even the size of a Robin egg! This is also normal. Good luck with your girls!

 

[TwoShepherds]

Beautiful eggs! Congratulations!

 

[Marinefam2053]

This isn’t the girl that is laying, but I love that the pigment is better every day and, it’s pink!!! I was glad that I checked one more time, cause that girl was very curious and trying to peck at it.

 

[tripletfeb]

When my first girl laid her first egg, all the other pullets were rolling it around the run! I think they were trying to figure it out, funny things Congrats on the first eggs!

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

This isn’t the girl that is laying, but I love that the pigment is better every day and, it’s pink!!! I was glad that I checked one more time, cause that girl was very curious and trying to peck at it. View attachment 1963389

On a side note, that is a GORGEOUS pullet, but she's not a barred rock, perhaps a silver laced Wyandotte?