Topic of the Week - When Do Pullets Begin Laying?

[Duke12]

I have four pullets. A spangled OEG I think got her as an assorted bantam, a Delaware, a buff brahma and a Sicilian BC. (I would've had 5 and some pretty colorful eggs if my EE from the pullet bin wouldn't have made me one of the unluckiest people to get the 10% chance rooster! Whatever!) And I've been rushing out every morning for the last week to look for eggs haha!
But I got them around May 13th and they all hatched around May 4th give or take a few days. Leaving them just near 18 weeks! My Delaware has been getting a bright red comb and wattle and is the most talkative so I'm hoping within the next few weeks she'll be laying then! Haven't noticed any squatting from her though... The others are all still pretty pale on the combs and only the bantam has a small waddle. I must be pressuring them too hard but hopefully it won't get too cold and dark for most of them to lay! Probably should've gotten some sooner and really need to be patient haha! Crazy to hear how lucky some of you guys get with such early layers, so jealous!

 

[Chickens-2016]

My chickens are sadly not laying any eggs...

But I have hope they will soon. They are approx 5 months old. keep you all posted.

 

[lcertuche]

My chicks hatched in April and still no eggs. I have 5 production reds. Their combs are starting to turn red and they are getting that hennishly stature so fingers crossed it will be soon.

 

[3520]

I have 1 black australorp,1 amber link,1 isa brown,1 silver laced wyandotte,and 1 black sex link, all hens.They are all about 18 weeks old.The're sopposed to start laying 16-21 weeks.They squat,but no eggs.They also have extremely large and red combs.I am so egg-cited!!!

 

[rottlady]

My 22 week olds started laying today so now all 3 of the 22-23 weeks old are laying

 

[QueenMisha]

I have 1 black australorp,1 amber link,1 isa brown,1 silver laced wyandotte,and 1 black sex link, all hens.They are all about 18 weeks old.The're sopposed to start laying 16-21 weeks.They squat,but no eggs.They also have extremely large and red combs.I am so egg-cited!!!

Is that pullet above one of your flock? Because if so, someone mislabeled a bird somewhere! She's not any of the breeds mentioned above, but rather an Easter Egger. Edit: Also, Welcome to BYC! Feel free to introduce yourself in the New Member Introductions section of the forum.

 

[Sherloki]

Yay! Got my first egg(s) today. Went out to check and found two eggs in one box, one I initially though was one of the two fake eggs that we had put out, until I found one of them and noticed how much smaller the two eggs that were in one box were. Still missing a fake egg somewhere, but happy to have two real ones. Only thing I'm not sure of is whether or not they were both layed by two different girls today, or if I mistook one egg for a fake yesterday when I checked.



You can kind of see the two pullet eggs are the same size, but different colors. My suspects right now are one of my EEs (not very Easter Egg like

) who was the first to squat, my 2 RIRs who are a bit older than my other pullets and have recently started squatting, and my Salmon Favorelle who I haven't seen squatting but has been extremely vocal lately.

 

[mizz9]

Yay! Got my first egg(s) today.

Yea!

 

[FlyWheel]

OK, so I'm first huh?

Well last April I picked up some Easter Egger chicks; the add said day-old but seeing as they were already eating with enthusiasm I'm thinking more like three, so I'm putting Easter weekend as their hatch date. Of those one turned out to be a cockerel and one an assumed Black Australorp (jury's still out, like I said they were all supposed to be EEs).

First to lay was one of the Easter Eggers, just last week. No need to drag out the calculator (or calendar), I'll do the math for you, that's 22 weeks. The BA layed her first yesterday, so we'll fudge a bit and say 23 weeks. The others I'm still waiting on, but I don't think I'll be waiting too long.

Now, just for the record, this is the first time I have ever had chicks that I bought in spring lay in their first year, usually it isn't until next spring before I will first see any eggs. However I am suspecting this is probably because by the time they get old enough the days have shortened enough that their natural instinct to stop laying has set in. I have, however never had Easter Eggers before either.

P.S. OK, so I'm not first. Funny, when I brought up this thread there weren't any replies shown.

 

[lcertuche]

I've never had EEs but I keep hearing good things about them. A lot of the people in this area have them. Most of the time when you buy farm eggs you usually have a few green ones. I really want some Dixie Rainbows and maybe a NN, and maybe a EE, and maybe a WR, and maybe a DC. Oh heck, about anything that will lay and egg or be a future dinner, lol. Right now I have 5 PR pullets and 11 BSL cockerels. Most if not all the boys will be going to freezer camp soon. I will miss the crowing though so I might keep one back but I still need some more girls and Dixie Rainbows are whats on the wishlist.