What age do hens have to be to start laying?

[Amy1]

I am very new to the whole chicken thing and was wondering how old they need to be to start laying the eggs? can anyone help? thanks

 

[texas75563]

On average 5 to to 6 months. It varies with different breeds.

 

[Fierlin1182]

My chickens (red sex links) started laying when they were four months old. However with most breeds which aren't heavy layers, it's often a little later.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

As the others have said it depends. The commercially bred birds may begin as early as sixteen weeks though eighteen is more typical. The traditional dual-purpose "heritage" breeds will typically start to lay at about twenty weeks (five months) if they were hatched in the spring, maybe longer if summer or fall hatched. Other breeds not bred to be dual-purpose or layers may not lay until much later, especially if they were summer or fall hatched.

 

[Woodchick]

I just went out to check on my little freerangers, found 5 laying in the shade and 1 squeezed in between the belt sander and the drill press in my husbands shed. She was panting and I was afraid she was stuck, when I lifted her up low and behold.......my very first egg! I'm so proud of my girl. They turned 17 weeks yesteday. Should I start giving them all oyster shell and layer pellets now?