New owner of chickens

chad05gsa

In the Brooder
5 Years
Aug 3, 2014
17
1
24
Hello everyone. Just thought I would join you're group of great information and good people. So a little about me I'm located in upstate New York. I had a friend a few years ago that started his own flock of chickens. He gave me a couple dozen eggs....and then I was hooked. I laughed at him at first and said a egg is a egg. But after getting hooked on his free range ones it was difficult to go back to store bought. So last week I ended up taking 7 hen chickens from a coworker that needed to re-home them. So I built a coop/nesting box and large fenced in pen (much larger then they where use to). So far so good they seem vary happy, and just let them out for free range yesterday. Thought they are sticking close to the coop all is well (should be a good thing). From what he told me one was born on Easter Sunday and the others a week before. So my question is when do they normally start producing eggs? I know they are still young, I also am not really familiar with breeds of them. He told me numerous times and I can never remember lol.
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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Not all eggs are created equal! Eggs from the supermarket definitely pale in taste and quality compared to your own hens eggs.

Most breeds start laying between 5 to 6 months of age. So you still have some weeks to go. When their combs, faces and wattles are full and red, and the birds are squatting for you, the eggs should be coming down the pipe.

You can get them started on layer feed sometime around 19 or 20 weeks of age, or when ever you start to see them squat. Which ever comes first. Pick up so oyster shell too while you are at the feed store. You can put this in a separate feeder or bowl if they need extra calcium. Keep it nearby the feed and water.

You might also get some fake eggs and put them in the nest boxes so they know where to lay when the time comes.

Enjoy your new flock and welcome to ours!
 
Thank you all so far for the warm welcome. I'll get some fake eggs to place in the nesting box. They have been nesting in there during the night, witch seems like it should be a good thing. The waiting is definitely the hard part for sure!
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2, feed them layer feed and extra calcium. Put fake eggs in the nest to show the hens where to lay.

Pullets start laying between 4-7 months of age.

Again, welcome!
 
Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. Most of the chickens I've had have started laying from 20-24 weeks, a few a little earlier, a few a little later. Please feel free to ask any more questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
 
Your girls will be much more secure if you use 1/2" hardware cloth around them instead of the chicken wire. Chicken wire only contains chickens - it doesn't repel predators who can breach it easily.

If you free range, you have to expect some losses to predators. Welcome to BYC
 

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