Official BYC Poll: When Did Your Hen/s Begin Laying Eggs?

[Perris]

Most of mine have been around the 6 month mark, and in the worst case I had to wait 11 months! They are heritage and rare breeds so I don't expect production breed output, and am happy as long as they're healthy, and ideally lay in a coop not under a bush, so that I can find them

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I have silkies.
2 of my hens laid at around 24-26wks
One hen at 22wks
And the other around that age as well

 

[Mrs J]

My polish girls have started laying first. Which is odd because they are known for being late layers they are 5 months old and have been laying these last few weeks.

 

[Silkie Princess]

There is no ,,I have too many chickens and I've no clue either" option

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My 12 pullets are just over the 5 month mark and some of them are laying but I have no clue who is or isn't. I'm getting anywhere from 5 to 7 eggs a day. They could ALL be laying, but just not every day. I will say the EEs started about a week and a half ahead of the Doms.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I have EEs, Wyandottes, RIRs, Buff Orpingtons, Marans, ISA Browns & a few Mixed.
The ISAs & EEs began laying at 18 weeks.
Marans & Buffs at 19 weeks.
Wyandottes & RIRs & mixed at 20 weeks.
All young birds eggs started small then gradually became larger, & they laid every other day, gradually becoming regular.

My older hens took a molting & winter egg laying break but started laying big beautiful eggs 1st week of January.

 

[OzarkChooks]

My Australorp and Orpingtons laid their first eggs very early. My brahmas, however, have only just now started to lay at 7 months.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My Australorp and Orpingtons laid their first eggs very early. My brahmas, however, have only just now started to lay at 7 months.

Brahmas are quite a bit bigger/heavier than your other two breeds, aren't they? Perhaps they are slower to mature?

 

[OzarkChooks]

Brahmas are quite a bit bigger/heavier than your other two breeds, aren't they? Perhaps they are slower to mature?

Very true. They are my late bloomers but also my sweetest pullets.

 

[BDutch]

I have two bantam RIR pullets hatched the last day of April. One started to lay around 20 January, the other pullet started last week.

It probably took a while because of the short day lengths. I had similar experiences with some of my Dutch.

Born early spring heritage bantam breeds can start laying in the fall. I have a few who did so. One was laying through winter. But all the other pullets stopped during the shortest days.