Topic of the Week - When Do Pullets Begin Laying?

[ZANEYchickenguy]

My Rhode Island Red just laid her first egg yesterday. The one that laid was 20 weeks old. Though the rest of my RID's are the same age they haven't laid yet. Some develop their combs faster than others.

 

[TheCrochetChick]

is it true that amerucanas lay earlier than any other breed? I have 6, 3 month old ones and they’re starting to act like they’re ready to lay.

 

[FeatherTay]

@Ilovemychicks08
Thought this may help you!

 

[pidgejr]

I have 12 welsummer pullets and a few of them are starting to do the sqaut when I come in the coop run, so I have the nest box ready with the ceramic egg in them to show them where to lay. They hatched in late January so are just about 3.5 months old now. Many of them have gotten very bright red combs and wattles the last week too. I'll let everyone know when they start to lay. I got them from Rural king (who sourced them from Hoover Hatchery). All helthy and strong birds. . I also have about 6 Self-blue Ameraucana hens and 4 cockerels that I hatched from eggs, but none of the hens squat for me, though a couple like to be held. I had to separate the cockerels this week because they were getting too rough now that their hormones are kicking in. The ameraucana hens combs and are mostly still more pink than red, but the cockerels got bright red recently. These were hatched late Jan too so are about the same age as my wellies.

 

[Chickenzerbest]

some of mine dint lay for about 7 months!

 

[Libby Ervin]

Most chickens lay around 4,5,and 6 months.Some lay as early as 3 months.....But some also may wait until their nearly a year old.

Some ways to know, is their combs and wattles will begin growing.They will also have more red faces and combs.Their vents will also begin getting bigger and a more "Reddish" color.

They will also squat.The submissive squat is when they lay flat,and spread their wings out.Hens without a rooster will do that if you approach them.If they are doing this they should be laying in either less then a week or in about a week.

Most of my chickens have started around 4 and 5 months,maybe a little later.But a lot of these are duel purpose chickens and egg laying kind.

That is a very good description of how to tell when your hens will start laying. We raise Americana’s, Red Rangers, and Leghorns. They all follow this pattern. Great job.

 

[NiteMareTender]

Heh. Chickens lay whenever they want to. Latest layer I've had is my 9.5 month old SQ Silkie girl Taylor, who just started this week. Earliest I've seen wasn't mine but a friend's, 16 week old Easter Egger (of all things!)

Lol.. my Columbian Wyandotte was around 9 months old before she started laying.. and my White Leghorns were 17, 19 and 20 weeks. I have a slow of new pullets including Barred Rocks, ISA browns, Rainbow Dixies and Easter Eggers.. expecting the ISAs and Barreds to lay first but we shall see!

 

[NiteMareTender]

One of my white leghorn girls, Rosey, laid her first egg today! I was working in the coop and she was hanging around, going in and out of the nesting boxes. I went into my other coop and heard her sing the full egg song. I waited and she didn't come out, so I opened the nesting box and sure enough, a little white egg. We were super-excited. I have a few dozen store bought eggs in the fridge and I am hoping they will be the last I buy!

Best feeling ever to not have to buy eggs again! Congrats

 

[pidgejr]

My welsummer pullets officially stopped being freeloaders today! I got two eggs at 15 weeks from my 12 pullets. One was a (small) brown double yolker, and the other was a nice speckled egg. The clues were the past week or so they were starting to squat for me when I went in their run, and also their combs and wattles were getting very red! I wonder too if it matters that I had to switch from an 18% protien feed (Nutrena Chick Starter), to a 20% protein all flock starter (Klambach) because my local feed store could not supply the one I normally got. It seems this batch of pullets is starting to lay earlier than batches I have had in the past which were usually around 5 months...but those were different breeds also (Australorp). Hoping the growth isn't too fast

 

[PippinTheChicken]

- When did your pullets begin laying? What breed are they?
Silkies: Pippin & Fries: 24-25 weeks
Silkie: Blue: 26 weeks
Brahma mixes: Wanda & Vision: 18-23 weeks
D'uccle: Noodles: 25 weeks
Cochin bantam: Thor: 28 weeks

- How long would it take for your new hens to start laying again?
I bought Dalma as a laying hen and she took a day off her first day here, the day after she was laying an egg on the floor of her integration pen!

- What are the signs that they are ready to lay eggs?
Squatting, visits to the coop, being louder than usual