Olive Egger starts laying eggs at FOUR months??

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I have a 4mo old Olive Egger, and I think she just laid her first egg.... I didn't actually SEE her in the nesting box, but yesterday and today I found small green eggs. At first, I thought it might be my 3yo Easter Egger laying odd eggs, but when I found a green egg next to her blue egg, I knew it had to be my Olive Egger. I have seen her poking around in the coop, but I thought hens generally start laying at around 6ish months, so I was expecting her to start laying late August - early September. I am pleasantly surprised by this, to say the least! Is this a normal age for chickens to start laying? Can I expect eggs from my other 4mo old's sooner than originally expected? They all eat an All Flock mash feed and have calcium on the side for the layers.

Here is her egg (right) next to my Easter Egger's (left)

 

[SnackMeat]

Hens can sometimes start laying around 16 weeks. Seems like the average is 18-20 weeks and some needing 6-8 months. They all can develop at different rates and there can be different factors like flock stress, heat stress, etc affecting it.

So I would say that's good news

If the other 4 month old is a full sibling or half sibling, it could be that she will also lay sooner. Or might do her own thing.

I can pretty much guarantee she won't because now that you know she *could* and you are excitedly waiting for her to lay eggs, she will likely make you wait extra long. Or that seems to be how it goes with chickens


Also be aware that double and triple yolks, fairy eggs, wonky looking shells, too soft/too hard shells, or uneven colored eggs can be common for new layers. They're like egg printers that take awhile to evenly put out the print jobs.

Do you have a rooster?

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Do you have a rooster?

I don't. My other 4 month old pullets are Lavender Orpington, Dark Brahma, Cuckoo Marans, Black Australorp, and a Golden laced Blue Wyandotte. One of each breed, and they were all hatched around the same day.

 

[SnackMeat]

It is possible for them to lay 16 weeks onward yes. But probably unlikely. It's not exactly rare or unusual, but the average seems to be much higher, around 20 weeks, with some taking months longer to lay eggs.

Without the extra genetic component of another hen being a full or half sibling to the early layer, I doubt you'll have another one do that.

But you could! It's just unlikely.

 

[PlotTwistPoultry]

I have a 4mo old Olive Egger, and I think she just laid her first egg.... I didn't actually SEE her in the nesting box, but yesterday and today I found small green eggs. At first, I thought it might be my 3yo Easter Egger laying odd eggs, but when I found a green egg next to her blue egg, I knew it had to be my Olive Egger. I have seen her poking around in the coop, but I thought hens generally start laying at around 6ish months, so I was expecting her to start laying late August - early September. I am pleasantly surprised by this, to say the least! Is this a normal age for chickens to start laying? Can I expect eggs from my other 4mo old's sooner than originally expected? They all eat an All Flock mash feed and have calcium on the side for the layers.

Here is her egg (right) next to my Easter Egger's (left)
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She looks EXACTLY like my Olive Eggers. Who are also laying already! Mine are laying pullet sized eggs but they're getting bigger by the week.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Do I have ANOTHER early layer?!
Just today, I found this egg in the box. I am guessing my 4 1/2mo(ish) Cuckoo Marans laid it, but I cant be sure since I didn't SEE it happen. Her diet and lifestyle is the same as my OE, as they live together among a flock of hens. I almost wonder if they are older than I thought.... but, that cant be possible, since I got them as tiny, fluffy chicks in early March, so they cant be more than 5mo... Maybe they are just healthy birds!
Incase you think it was someone else, my other breeds are:
Olive Egger – Already laying green eggs, Cuckoo Marans, Blue Laced Golden Wyandotte, Lavender Orpington, Black Australorp, and a Dark Brahma. All pullets, the same age (or within 2wks).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I doubt that is the Marans' egg, I think it would be a lot darker. Looks like an Orpington or Australorp egg to me.