What age did your hens lay their first egg?

[annie511]

My girls are 18wks old and I have 2 rir that have wide vents and are squatting and one of my EE has a wide vent as is squatting! Hoping for eggs soon!

 

[FreedomFarm13]

I have both, Wyandottes got theirs @19 wks & Ameraucanas (got 3) got their eggs @20-24 wks

Oh, man! These girls are driving me crazy!! I'm so jealous of your awesome eggs! This will be the first time I've had any pullets survive to pol (we've had some predator issues), so they'll be my very first eggs! I can't wait much longer.. maybe I should give them a demonstration and crawl up into the nesting boxes myself, sing my egg song, and see if they take the hint. Then I'll eat some chicken soup right next to them, just for good measure. Dang freeloaders!!!

 

[Ljc01]

I feel your pain. My ladies are at least 22weeks and not nothing at all. I had to buy eggs!

 

[smithbleaufarm]

Hey y'all, I was wondering what age did your pullets give you their first egg? I am eagerly anticipating the time when our 12 chickens will come into lay. 

Already got their nest box built and stocked with straw and dummy eggs. The first batch of pullets just turned 15 weeks Wednesday and the second batch are 14 weeks today. We have a mix of barred rocks, red stars, a rhode island red, wyandottes, brahma, sussex and california white. Post the age at which you got your first egg from your hens!

Hi. We have 6 black Australorp, 1 Leghorn, and 1 ISA Brown... (8) hens. All are 6 months old now. all but 1 laying. My 1 Australorp, Charlie, ( the tiniest chicken) laid her first egg the day after they turned 4 months old. I got an egg from her, daily ..until i had a dozen...then there were 2. My Leghorn was my next lady to give us a present (egg). So I was getting one brown and one white egg everyday for 2 weeks. Then I went out one morning and to my surprise there were 5 eggs!! It's so exciting. I get 7 eggs daily now. I have 1 of my Aussies still not laying... At 6 months... I don't know...starting to think that one might be a roo.. although, I hope not BC her name is Lucy.. hehehe... But not showing any signs of being a cockerel. Good luck with your girls.

 

[smithbleaufarm]

I feel your pain. My ladies are at least 22weeks and not nothing at all. I had to buy eggs!

Oh that's terrible. After having fresh eggs I don't want store bought anymore ... Anyway I seen this sign I thought was funny, hope it makes you smile

 

[Christabean]

FINALLY!! My beautiful Cuckoo Maran pullet, Hewegg, just laid her first egg this morning at 26 weeks. My 4-year-old son was so proud, the whole flock was worth it for his joy at this little egg. My other chickens are 24-25 weeks and hopefully will begin laying soon. They are a Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, and Partridge Cochin. They are large fowl, the Maran and Cochin in particular are huge, so I'm guessing that's why they are later layers than some on here? Also the fact it's November probably slowed them down, though I've heard the upside is that they may be more consistent winter layers. I'm in California where it just dips down into the 40s and rarely 30s at night and the shortest day of the year is still 9 1/2 hours of daylight, so hopefully they'll lay through it.

Look at this nice dark beauty next to a "large" store egg. It's quite pretty for a first egg, maybe "medium"? I expect they'll get larger because she's a big girl. I feed a good 20% protein feed with organic scratch and free ranging from about 10am until bedtime (got to block off some parts because they're tearing up my yard!). The shell seems nice and strong like a commercial egg.

 

[snsr33]

We have six hens, variety of breeds, between 23-24 weeks old. No eggs yet! I wonder if they might be laying while they are free ranging?

 

[Ljc01]

I have a EE who likes to play hide the egg, so you could have a nest somewhere. I locked them in and they all laid in the nesting boxes just like good girls. Let them out to free range and sure enough Goldie went off to lay in the field. The only way I found the nest was to follow her. Back to being locked in the run again.
I would think the other birds would have a talk with her, because everyone gets locked in the run.
My girls started laying between 25-31 weeks, but I have one Astralorp that is close to 40 weeks and her comb and wattle are just staring to grow bigger. It might be the time of year. Hang in there, that first egg is hard to wait for, but it will come.

 

[smithbleaufarm]

My tiniest chicken "charlie", black austerlorp (spelling) laid her first tiny egg 1 day after turning 16 weeks..(back in august).. and has been faithfully giving me an egg everyday since. Her 5 sisters of the same breed did not lay any eggs for 4 weeks after that.... I also have a white leghorn and an USA Brown, they both started laying around 22 weeks. To this day "Charlie" is still my tiniest chicken. But she is the friendliest, and she is a faithful layer, and now lays the largest eggs in my flock...
Good luck with your girls

 

[FuzzFaceFarm]

Does their pop start getting larger and rounded like a little egg when they get closer to laying? I have been finding some of these large oval pop balls in the hen house in the morning when I go to let them out. I have 6 hens that just turned 22 weeks old. 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 2 EEs, and 2 that are maybe REd Sex Links. Thanks guys!