Our 8 month old Sulmtaler just started laying eggs 3 days ago, and has consistently layed one every day. Our 8 month old Bielefelder has not started laying yet, & we are starting to worry that maybe she could be egg bound? We assumed they would be on the same cycle, similar to other animals with ovulating/menstruating. They hatched from the incubator on the same day and have been raised together with the same food & environment. We actually thought the Bielefelder would be the first to start laying eggs because she was always the biggest & healthiest looking. Does anyone know how long it takes for the other hen/s to start laying eggs once the first hen starts laying eggs?
Don't worry, hens of both the same breed and different breeds can begin laying weeks or even months apart from one another. Larger breeds tend to begin laying later then smaller breeds. For example, a Jersey Giant matures far later then a Leghorn. The best way to tell if a hen is nearing laying is if her comb and wattles turn a bright red, if she squats down when her back is touched, or if she is seen sitting in a nest box or scratching around in one more then usual. I hope this helps and I hope your hen begins laying soon. Best of luck!
Thank you! That helps a lot actually It is cute how our other hen gets real quiet and stands guard right on top of the coop while our Sulmtaler is inside it making her nest/laying.
