What age do chickens start to lay?

[Maryallison77]

Hi there! Just wondering the age of egg laying. Is it 4 months old? I have Bantams, Cochins, Silkies & Frizzles. I have other too, but I'm not as advanced as most of you and can't remember all the breed names, Sorry!

My oldest group are 2 1/2 months old. Should I get nestboxes ready for them before they lay?

Thanks, MARY

 

[Marlinchaser]

most start around 18 weeks(41/2 months) so you still have some time, your production (leghorn/redstar/blackstars) will usually start sooner by a couple of weeks, and your bigger breeds Orps/brahma's usually start a couple weeks later,(sometimes a couple months later)

 

[barred rock]

i have barred rocks and black stars that are 4 months old and they havent started laying yet i put litter in my laying boxes and put a few golf balls in to "promote" laying and they havent even considered laying from what i can tell

 

[BrambleCreekFarm]

Hi Someone else asked a similiar question a few weeks ago and one of the more interesting answers was - "a few weeks after the roosters hit puberty (i.e. try to mate) you can expect the pullets to start laying". I guess the boys mature a little sooner than the girls