What's the youngest age that hens start laying???

[bruce89123]

I've always wondered what he youngest that anyone has had a pullet start to lay.

Also, I have 15 Red Stars that are 14 weeks old right now. I've procrastinated on making the nest boxes for them. Do I need to worry about it within the next two weeks or do you guys think that I can put it off a month yet?

 

[Judy]

Well, they don't need a nest to lay -- if it's time, they will lay. And pullets just starting to lay often do things like drop the first ones off the roost, or wherever they happen to be when it's time. It may take them about a month to get in the swing of laying. It would be good to have a fairly soft floor in your coop, meaning plenty of hay or shavings, for those early eggs, whether you have put nests in there or not. And in a pinch, you can put most any container in there for a nest -- a cardboard box, plastic bin, 5 gallon bucket on its side, etc.

Red Stars are bred to lay early and often, but really, it's an individual thing, and they won't all start at the same time. When you notice combs getting redder or hens squatting when you approach, your first egg will probably show up soon. I've had a hen start at 17 weeks and read of one starting at 14 weeks, but the usual "general idea" number that is given is 20 weeks, for these earlier laying breeds and mixes. Some hens never lay til they are a year old....

 

[bruce89123]

Thanks, The combs are getting red on a few of the birds but, no squatting yet. I place a milk crate or something in the coop for the time being.

 

[TucksMama]

My Golden Buffs (which are similar to the red stars) started laying at 15 weeks. I was expecting 17 weeks or later but one surprised me. Now they are 20 weeks and I get about three a day. The one chicken that started it all was squatting a week before. Her comb was the biggest and bright red. I never knew about the squatting thing. I just thought she was being friendly and liked her back rubbed. LOL

 

[bruce89123]

Well, I got the first egg last week, two days after I build and installed their nest boxes. The first to start laying was 14 weeks and 6 days old. The flock is now 16 weeks old and 6 of the 15 are now laying.