Silver Spangled Hamburg- When do they start to lay?

[Justuschicks]

I have a silver spangled hamburg hen, she is close to 30 weeks old and is still not laying eggs. All the other hens I purchased at the same time started laying a month or more ago. (Barred Rock, Minorca, Ameraucana) Does anyone know the average age they start laying? I think her molt mixed with the cooler weather may delay her further.

 

[mgw]

I'm not sure if there is any specific time they are gonna lay, each is an individual. We've got a 30 week old Black star that hasn't laid yet either, her 4 sisters have been laying daily for 2 months, go figure!

 

[Cat Water]

I am pretty sure it depends on the bird. Some can start at 12 weeks, or as late as 35 weeks. She might just wait to lay in the spring. They stop laying in the cold weather. BTW,

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Mine started laying around the 22nd-23rd week. My Hamburgs have layed eggs in cool weather but once they're in moult, forget it, no eggs for quite awhile. (Depends on how long the moult is as well.)

 

[Justuschicks]

Thanks for the info. It is hard to know if she is molting because I haven't noticed many feathers lost...just a lot of feathers growing in around the time my other girls started to lay. I wouldn't be surprised if she is so wigged out to the point that she won't lay. She is so easily scared. My daughter and i were laughing at the thought of having a large flock of them. They would be in a constant sprint running away from each other. I know she will lay when she feels it is right for her. Thanks again!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

My hen started at 18 weeks

 

[NZChookdom]

Pullet Pearl is not laying and I do not know how old she is. We got her with 2x BantamX and they said they all hatched at the same time (though she did not know when!). The Bantams have laid since day one with us. Pearl has yet to lay and has very minimal comb/wattle development. She is a bit of a bully and squawks at everyone "new". She is also not roosting but prefers to sleep on the coop floor by the Bantams (they are pram mates!).
Don't know what I am asking here - guess wondering if this is normal.

 

[halefamily_flock]

I have 4 Hamburg girls who started laying after all the other breeds, probably 25 weeks or so. Then, we went through at least another month having to search for little white eggs everywhere. Twice found big nests full of 12+ eggs in the woods. Realized they were so timid with the other pullets that they were not being allowed into nest boxes, even though there were plenty. I went around the farm making ad-hoc nests in little nooks & crannies, straw bales, etc and put fake eggs in. The hamburgs managed to find the semi-hidden nests and started laying there. Eventually, they started laying in regular nest boxes in the coop, for a few weeks of easy collecting lots of eggs. Now, 3 of 4 have stopped laying to molt, and I think the other is not far behind.

 

[NZChookdom]

I have 4 Hamburg girls who started laying after all the other breeds, probably 25 weeks or so. Then, we went through at least another month having to search for little white eggs everywhere. Twice found big nests full of 12+ eggs in the woods. Realized they were so timid with the other pullets that they were not being allowed into nest boxes, even though there were plenty. I went around the farm making ad-hoc nests in little nooks & crannies, straw bales, etc and put fake eggs in. The hamburgs managed to find the semi-hidden nests and started laying there. Eventually, they started laying in regular nest boxes in the coop, for a few weeks of easy collecting lots of eggs. Now, 3 of 4 have stopped laying to molt, and I think the other is not far behind.

That's great insight! Well, she's definitely not timid!! And I have searched around the run in nooks and holes. I will be more diligent in that, and more patient.

 

[Rgrogan]

Thanks for the info. It is hard to know if she is molting because I haven't noticed many feathers lost...just a lot of feathers growing in around the time my other girls started to lay. I wouldn't be surprised if she is so wigged out to the point that she won't lay. She is so easily scared. My daughter and i were laughing at the thought of having a large flock of them. They would be in a constant sprint running away from each other. I know she will lay when she feels it is right for her. Thanks again!

Really? I have one silver spangled so she is smaller than every other chicken I have. But what she lacks in size, she makes up for in bravery and attitude! She is always the first to run headlong into anything new. She loves the neighbor's dogs. She chases after the other chickens until she's tired of not keeping up and she'll fly over them. She is oir favorite chicken by far because she's such an outgoing little spaz. But. . .she is also the only one not laying. She is about 37 weeks and she is not molting. Did yours ever start laying?