What is the earliest a chicken can possibly lay?

[kinardmommy]

I have 4 Black Australorp and one of them has started laying already at 14 weeks. They have their choice of layer pellets chick grower and oyster shell. They all get treats on like yogurt, boiled egg, scraps, rice, on a regular basis. It is so hot where I am and I have small children so I can't spend alot of time outside during the day to watch them so I don't know who eats what or who is laying but someone definately is. I have six older hens and I would hardly ever get six eggs in a day and every day for the past week I have gotten six eggs a day including some that are very small. I was very proud!

 

[Queen Scoot]

ok my girls are 14 weeks they'd better start laying!!!! lol

 

[Rosalind]

OK, you guys will have to forgive Daria. She had a very hard moult this spring and lost a lot of feathers on her back and head--they are just now growing back in. She looks a little raggedy, but I assure you that she is a standard Cochin so you have some idea of scale.

There was another egg in there today, but it looks like one of Daria's lighter brownish-pink ones.

 

[skeeter]

when i got the box of chicks in the mail there were six eggs in the box,so i guess they started laying at day 2 or 3

 

[smom1976]

do you think it has anything to do with the older chicken laying and the younger girls seeing oh this is what I am supposed to do...??

 

[blueskylen]

mine are 11 weeks old too - i guess i'd better get the nest boxes ready! I had turned them to the wall, as they were sleeping and pooing in them.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Wow! I love this thread!
I feed the same feed, Blue Seal, to my chicks and my adults get the Organic Blue Seal plus free range. Everyone gets lots of extras like the cooked eggs, worms, bread, fresh veggies and fruits and soaked seeds. I know my mixed flock of chicks are not old enough yet but I was just hoping the chicks would start laying by Sept! Looks like I might have hope of getting some sooner! That would be awesome!

 

[Rosalind]

OK. Got in touch with the local extension office.

Their official opinion: When chickens are ready to lay depends far more on size than on actual age. Blue Seal, in their opinion, is a very high-quality feed, especially since they were getting regular protein-based treats of cheese, so they were not surprised that my birdies were this big. For chickens this big, it is normal for them to start laying a few eggs here and there.

Also, with hatchery birds, you never can be 100% sure of pedigree, so there is a remote chance that a fast-growing ancestor was in there somewhere, even though these look true to the breeds. They said give them oyster shells and mix in some layer pellets, and don't worry about it because the birdies look quite healthy and shiny.

Overall, they told me to quit worrying and enjoy my big beautiful girls.

 

[ticks]

My 9 weekers almost look full sized. does that mean I should introduce nesting boxes?

 

[Pine Grove]

JMO, But the two Welsummers pullets looks to be nowhere near production