What's the soonest I could expect first egg laying?

[BonNuit]

I am asking as I currently have my nesting boxes blocked off to keep my pullets from using them to for sleeping, etc. I didn't do this once, and ended up having a bugger of a time getting them to use the nesting boxes rather than hiding around them around the run, or keeping them from sleeping in the boxes -- so I am trying to avoid that issue.

I have used nesting pads and wooden/ceramic eggs in the past successfully -- but I can't remember exactly when I opened up the nesting boxes.

I want to open them up very close to the time when laying is expected -- not too soon before. For some background information, I have 14 pullets - ( 2 White Leghorns, 4 Rhode Island reds, 2 Rhode Island "Blues", 2 Black Australorp, 2 Barred Rock, 2 Amberlinks) and one RIR rooster all born between April 16th and April 18th of this year -- so they are all approximately 14 weeks/4 months old.

I have read that Amberlinks can sometimes lay as early as 16 weeks -- but that seems extremely early to me. I am guessing that I still have until at least a few weeks before I need to open up the layer boxes? Or, should in your experience, would it be better for me to open them up in the next week or so instead?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nheiles]

From different places I've read they say 4-6 months and light amount in a day also plays a roll. The chicks I have will be mature enough in November so if I want eggs I'll have to increase the light. If I remember right it's a number between 12-16 hours per day will keep them laying. I know Murray McMurray says they can't give an accurate timeline because there are too many variables.

Maybe just keep it blocked off till you find an egg in a random location, then open it up. That way you'll know they need it. If the box is dark, quite and offers a level of protection they want they'll go to them when they're ready. This is based off of reading knowledge and not experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had pullets lay their first egg at 16 weeks. Most of them don't that early but a few have.

I want the nests open early, well before they start to lay. Partly for your reason, so they learn to lay in the nest and not somewhere else. But also I want to know if they are going to try sleeping in the nests so I can fix the problem before I get poopy eggs. If they are going to sleep in the nests there is a reason and it can be fixed. As far as I'm concerned, waiting until after you have trained them to lay somewhere else before you open up your nests is not going to stop them from sleeping in them if they are going to.

I don't know what your coop looks like or how it is laid out inside. If your roosts are higher than the nests you usually don't have a problem, but you still can. If you open them up and they start sleeping in them get back to me on this thread. Maybe we can work out a solution. But until you open them up you don't know if you will have a problem.

 

[BonNuit]

I've had pullets lay their first egg at 16 weeks. Most of them don't that early but a few have.

I want the nests open early, well before they start to lay. Partly for your reason, so they learn to lay in the nest and not somewhere else. But also I want to know if they are going to try sleeping in the nests so I can fix the problem before I get poopy eggs. If they are going to sleep in the nests there is a reason and it can be fixed. As far as I'm concerned, waiting until after you have trained them to lay somewhere else before you open up your nests is not going to stop them from sleeping in them if they are going to.

I don't know what your coop looks like or how it is laid out inside. If your roosts are higher than the nests you usually don't have a problem, but you still can. If you open them up and they start sleeping in them get back to me on this thread. Maybe we can work out a solution. But until you open them up you don't know if you will have a problem.

Thanks -- that is a great point indeed.

 

[Nheiles]

You know this is one thing I love about BYC, the ability for me to learn and increase my success from others is fantastic!