I have 4 RIR's and 4 RSL's that are about 4 months old. They are a good size with very small combs and I guess they will be laying sometime by the end of July. Will they be fully grown when they lay their first egg or do they continue to grow after that?
The beginning of laying pretty much marks the end of their growth, but their bodies will still mature some, fill out, and get more matronly in appearance. At 18 weeks, don't be surprised to see little proto type eggs.
It depends on the breed also. RSLs mature quickly. In sharp contrast, a Brahma doesn't reach its full size until well past 1 year.
The breeds you have will be pretty much full grown when they start laying and will fill out a little more after they start laying. The eggs will be small but will get larger as they continue to lay.
Quote:Agreed, it depends on the breed. My LF brahmas kept growing and growing.... Thor (my dark brahma roo) didn't finish growing and filling out till he was well past a year old.
