When do Barred Rock pullets start laying?

[Ebz5003]

With my last batch of chicks, everyone started laying within a week after they started squating. I don’t know if that’s the rule with most chickens, or if it’s just a coincidence that all of mine did that. But I would assume she would start quickly after squatting.

I have not seen her squat once , yet she frequents the coop during the day. Good to know!

 

[WingItRanch]

I'm also waiting for my 4 BR to lay. They're 25 weeks old today. Not a single egg!

I only have one layer out of my 11 pullets- all the same age.

@Ebz5003 I finally got my first egg from one of my Barred Rocks. 25 weeks and 1 day old. Yesterday I caught her checking out the exact nest box she chose.

 

[Squawkers]

@Ebz5003 I finally got my first egg from one of my Barred Rocks. 25 weeks and 1 day old. Yesterday I caught her checking out the exact nest box she chose.

YAY!!!

 

[lvanderb]

This is helpful! I am new to chickens and I have Black Noirans, Olive eggers and Azure blues - these all started laying at 22 weeks (well, some of them - I have 3 of each (plus an Azure blue rooster) - they may not all have started yet). The barred rocks are still slowly getting their combs etc and are still pretty pink. They are all 24 weeks and are currently NOT using the lovely nesting boxes that hubby built - they are roll away with mesh at the bottom (they might not like that?) and the chickens lay in corners of the coop and in their run.

 

[WingItRanch]

This is helpful! I am new to chickens and I have Black Noirans, Olive eggers and Azure blues - these all started laying at 22 weeks (well, some of them - I have 3 of each (plus an Azure blue rooster) - they may not all have started yet). The barred rocks are still slowly getting their combs etc and are still pretty pink. They are all 24 weeks and are currently NOT using the lovely nesting boxes that hubby built - they are roll away with mesh at the bottom (they might not like that?) and the chickens lay in corners of the coop and in their run.

Mine did this too at first. Are you using fake eggs in the nest boxes to encourage them? It really does help.

 

[lvanderb]

Mine did this too at first. Are you using fake eggs in the nest boxes to encourage them? It really does help.

Thanks, I have golf balls in them. I also put a real egg (a sacrifice) in one of the boxes. I saw a hen go into a nest box and start pecking at the wall etc (lol - it was probably the only hen to get on one of the swings too). Strangely, when they were being tractored around our property, they started using the next boxes, but since we moved them into a fixed coop and run this past Saturday, nothing doing with the nest boxes.

 

[WingItRanch]

Thanks, I have golf balls in them. I also put a real egg (a sacrifice) in one of the boxes. I saw a hen go into a nest box and start pecking at the wall etc (lol - it was probably the only hen to get on one of the swings too). Strangely, when they were being tractored around our property, they started using the next boxes, but since we moved them into a fixed coop and run this past Saturday, nothing doing with the nest boxes.

I tried golf balls at first but it didn't fool my chickens haha. Ended up buying wooden eggs on Amazon.

 

[lvanderb]

I tried golf balls at first but it didn't fool my chickens haha. Ended up buying wooden eggs on Amazon.

I removed the golf balls and they are soaking in what is now ice, oh well. I got the wooden eggs (a lovely brown egg colour) and placed them in the nest boxes, we'll see, so far, eggs are still being laid in corners of the coop, except the barred rocks of course!

 

[lvanderb]

Well, chickens are so much fun, right? I got 7 eggs today. 2 from under the roost, one was crushed so it didn't count. 1 in a nest box and 1 on each side of a big front door. Found 2 more a couple of hours later, I think one was on the floor in front of the roost and one in a nestbox. Just now I got 2 more in the nest boxes.

One of the barred rocks has started laying and always uses a nest box.

As well as wooden eggs, when they didn't seem to work, hubby enclosed the open areas around and under the nest boxes with wood. I think we got 3 eggs the next day....retribution.