When can I expect my ‘chicks’to start laying?

[madlaina]

Last year we hatched some chicks, of which we kept 2 and integrated them into our existing flock of 6 chickens. The chicks hatched in early November, so are now over six months old, but so far no sign of any eggs. They are a Marans and a Barnevelder x Marans respectively.
Any advice on when we can expect them to start laying?
I should say we are in Australia, so are currently going into winter.
Also, all our other chickens are moulting and have stopped laying, so we aren’t getting any eggs at all atm. Sigh.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Last year we hatched some chicks, of which we kept 2 and integrated them into our existing flock of 6 chickens. The chicks hatched in early November, so are now over six months old, but so far no sign of any eggs. They are a Marans and a Barnevelder x Marans respectively.
Any advice on when we can expect them to start laying?
I should say we are in Australia, so are currently going into winter.
Also, all our other chickens are moulting and have stopped laying, so we aren’t getting any eggs at all atm. Sigh.

I would think they should start laying anytime. What is the winter like where you are is it pretty mild? I have both those breeds and they both started laying at about six months and laid thru winter. My Barnevelder went through a molt and quit laying for about two months.

 

[madlaina]

Winter is mild - overnight temps can drop to 0 Celsius, but that’s rare. Daytime temps are usually between 12-18 Celsius.(32, 55-65 F for the Americans on here)

 

[madlaina]

Crappy fuzzy pictures of the ladies in question herewith.

 

[Willowspirit]

I don't thinks it's temps that reduce laying in Winter, but shorter days.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

View attachment 1771354 View attachment 1771355 Crappy fuzzy pictures of the ladies in question herewith.

They look mature, have their combs and wattles gotten redder lately? Do they ever squat as you walked by?

 

[chkva]

I had an olive egger chick hatch on 11/27/18. She started laying 4/13/19. My red sex link was hatched on 12/3/18 and her first egg was laid yesterday... Some take longer than others and now that you're going into winter that may change when they lay as well. You can increase laying by adding light to your coop in the winter months and maybe that might help.

A few things mine do right before they lay... Their Combs become a bright red instead of a pinkish or light red comb. They start squating or going into the nesting boxes constantly. They also start taking interest in the other hens that are laying. My new layer was following my other layers and watching what they do.

 

[Stepnout]

I have two that did not start laying until 30-36 weeks.
I’m in Canada so our winters and summer are opposite. We now are in Spring. They laid quite regularly all winter. One now has gone broody twice in a month and a have. Hard to break her this time. Temperatures were minus -2c to -25c.

 

[aart]

The chicks hatched in early November, so are now over six months old, but so far no sign of any eggs. They are a Marans and a Barnevelder x Marans respectively.

They may not lay until after the solstice, when days begin getting longer.
Both those breeds tend to lay later than others.

 

[madlaina]

They look mature, have their combs and wattles gotten redder lately? Do they ever squat as you walked by?

Wattles and combs still look slightly dull to me. They are very skittish and run away whenever I get close, so don’t know about the squatting. I wouldn’t be so impatient if it wasn’t for all our other hens going off the lay simultaneously.