What age do they start laying?

[Rosey516]

Hey all, my hens are 12 weeks already I was just curious as to when they start laying ? Their permanent coop is almost ready.. Also can I put the nesting boxes above the roosting bars?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Depending on breeds, most start from 4-8 months. You should always put your roosts higher than your nestboxes or else birds will be sleeping and pooping in them.

 

[aart]

Depending on breeds, most start from 4-8 months. You should always put your roosts higher than your nestboxes or else birds will be sleeping and pooping in them.

X2

 

[Sea2Ski]

Tacking onto this thread.... This waiting game is fustrating. Got the 11 hens the Friday before Easter that puts than at 18.5 week as of this post. 4 black sex link, a BO, 2 cuckoo Moran's, 2 Sicilian buttercups and 2 black laced wyandottes.
I gave them only start and grow to week 17 with some free range time, and now I am feeding them only oyster strong since last week. I let the free range about 2 hrs a day (more on weekends) and only give watermelon and mealworms as treats. I have yet to get an egg. They have no stress, their coop is 50 square feet and their runs are 304 feet square totally enclosed with no roof on one side of coop and about another 30 square feet on the other side that does have a roof.

They better start laying soon.....

 

[aart]

Tacking onto this thread.... This waiting game is fustrating. Got the 11 hens the Friday before Easter that puts than at 18.5 week as of this post. 4 black sex link, a BO, 2 cuckoo Moran's, 2 Sicilian buttercups and 2 black laced wyandottes.
I gave them only start and grow to week 17 with some free range time, and now I am feeding them only oyster strong since last week. I let the free range about 2 hrs a day (more on weekends) and only give watermelon and mealworms as treats. I have yet to get an egg. They have no stress, their coop is 50 square feet and their runs are 304 feet square totally enclosed with no roof on one side of coop and about another 30 square feet on the other side that does have a roof.

They better start laying soon.....

Shouldn't feed layer feed until they start laying....they don't need the extra calcium yet, but may still need the extra protein.

 

[Rosey516]

Depending on breeds, most start from 4-8 months. You should always put your roosts higher than your nestboxes or else birds will be sleeping and pooping in them.

So this wouldn't be good? I was going to put the roosting bars where the window is right across..

 

[aart]

Quote: Definitely not, they would love to roost up there....and how would you reach to get eggs?
Is that a poop board?
Give us some wider shots of your coop, inside and out, and some dimensions.

 

[Rosey516]

Ok it's 6x8x6 walk in I figured I would put the food and water underneath on the floor so they can't poop in it, if the nesting boxes shouldn't be on top can I put them near the floor on the left? The roosting bar will go straight across from the window so it will be able to clean that area right across...

[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

 

[Rosey516]

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lower your nestboxes, maybe put them on the side wall. 2-3 feet off the ground is best, than put your roosts where the boxes are.