Oldest age your hens started to lay?

[TheLaboratoryBF]

I’m on my third year of coturnix quail keeping and all of my previous coveys started laying by 7 weeks old (last year’s started at 5 weeks), but this year I decided to try jumbos from MyShire. 3 of my 4 12-week-old hens are laying and have been for a few weeks. The last hen, however, has not started laying yet. I have just the 4 hens in my hutch, they have 15 square feet of usable space, multiple waterers and feeders (28% game bird crumble), plenty of daylight to encourage egg production, and virtually no stress.

What is the latest (in terms of x-amount-of-weeks-old) you’ve had a hen start laying? I’m trying to figure out if I should continue waiting or cull her and move on.

Thanks!

 

[vall]

Mine took their time this year. I think all of my 12 week old hens are laying, finally. Some of the 8 week olds are not yet. I did cull one that was within a day or two of laying. If she is otherwise healthy, maybe give her another week or two. The jumbos tend to take longer.

What did you think of the Myshire jumbos? Any hens close to a pound?

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Mine took their time this year. I think all of my 12 week old hens are laying, finally. Some of the 8 week olds are not yet. I did cull one that was within a day or two of laying. If she is otherwise healthy, maybe give her another week or two. The jumbos tend to take longer.

What did you think of the Myshire jumbos? Any hens close to a pound?

Otherwise healthy as far as I can tell (was/am planning on internal inspection if culled). They’re ok; probably won’t do them again. Got them mainly for the larger egg size and while they do lay regularly and reliably (of the 3 anyway), the eggs aren’t any bigger than standards at the moment. Hoping they get bigger as they continue maturing but I only keep coveys for one season before culling and starting over the next year. Haven’t dressed any out yet (sold all of my grow outs) but I would estimate these hens are between 12-14 ounces. They are definitely larger looking than standards.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Fifteen weeks. Nothing wrong with it, it just took its own sweet time. Now it lays daily.

 

[FloorCandy]

Most of mine don’t lay until later, 10 weeks is average for mine I’d say. I had 17 in the grow out, at nearly 8 weeks old I have 1 egg, and I’ve found 5 boys crowing and foaming so far. I know I have 2 sex link hens, and about 4 more I’m pretty sure are hens and will lay soon. Sometimes they just take time.

 

[Xouie]

I have a shameless freeloader who is several months old and has never laid an egg. She’s also a first class suck up (which is why she’s still here). Otherwise the latest was about 3 months.

 

[Nabiki]

I think I waited 14 weeks or so for a fall hatch to start laying.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Thanks all; I’ve got them separated out today to determine the freeloader. Will leg band her and give her a few more weeks to earn her keep.