what clues are there to know when a chicken is going to start laying eggs

[Buffmama]

We got our girls on 3/9, they weren't more than a few days old. Today 2 eggs were found, one in a nesting box and another in the hay by the door. 1 is a production red and the rest are supposed to be RIRs, but 2 seem to light in color and look more like golden comets.

 

[mandtroof]

We got our girls on 3/9, they weren't more than a few days old.  Today 2 eggs were found, one in a nesting box and another in the hay by the door.  1 is a production red and the rest are supposed to be RIRs, but 2 seem to light in color and look more like golden comets. 

Wow, is that considered early? We got all ours march 10, should I be starting to look for eggs? I thought they wouldn't until September.

 

[subhanalah]

We got our girls on 3/9, they weren't more than a few days old.  Today 2 eggs were found, one in a nesting box and another in the hay by the door.  1 is a production red and the rest are supposed to be RIRs, but 2 seem to light in color and look more like golden comets. 

do you have pictures of them when you first got them? I suspect they are older than you think they are.

 

[Buffmama]

The employee at TSC said they were only a few days old. The little dark one, Cutie, was the smallest of the bunch in the bin. When the yellow chicks ran from one side to the other, Cutie would get trampled. She was in with the wrong group for some reason and I just had to rescue her. The others were in the pullet bin and Cutie was in a straight run bin so we are still hoping for a girl. I don't have any pics available of them older because my camera is having issues.

 

[mortie]

They look a weekish old in those pics, that would put them at 16wks+ so they could totally be laying.

 

[subhanalah]

I would say one and a half, closer to two weeks.
That's a lot of feathers on some of their wings. I believe you got from two different shipments, some look older than the others.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They look a weekish old in those pics, that would put them at 16wks+ so they could totally be laying.

X2 - "a few days old" likely means they had been I the store for a few days + 2/3 days old when they arrived at the store=about a week old at purchase on the younger looking, and closer to 10 days+ on the older looking (more feathered out)

 

[Buffmama]

Thanks, still a lot younger than our B.O. at 22 wks.

 

[subhanalah]

Thanks, still a lot younger than our B.O. at 22 wks.

yeah, BOs are slow to mature!
EEs from hatcheries are bred for higher production, bigger and more eggsm

 

[Faraday40]

yeah, BOs are slow to mature!
EEs from hatcheries are bred for higher production, bigger and more eggsm

On average, how long until an Orpington starts to lay. My Lav Orps are a long way off, but I'm curious. I read they were very slow to mature due to their massive size.