When do chickens lay?

[PirateGirl]

They CAN lay early, but they CAN lay late. I had one that waited until she was 11 months old to lay. If they come into maturity as they are headed into winter, some will hold out until the following spring! As long as everyone is eating and drinking and pooping and acting normally, there is nothing to worry about and just try and be patient. When combs and wattles get big and red they are getting close.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

(This might have been asked before and if so my bad I just couldn't find it on the search page.)
I have 4 hens.. 2 Buff orpingtons & 2 RIR. They are 5 months old specifically 26 weeks. I haven't received a single egg from them. They have proper space and they free range about 3-4 days a week. I'm kinda curious because I keep seeing posts about first egg and the chicks are like 18 years old. I don't know if I'm over reacting or not but my fiance keeps making fun of the girls! But on a serious note i'm a tad worried everything I've read says they should be laying now. Why are they holding out?

They might still be a little bit young. You will know when they will start laying because then they start to squat when you walk by and also their combs and wattles turn very bright red. I bet yours will start laying within the month, probably around 5 1/2 to 6 months old.

 

[SKYLINE]

I took some advise and went to check them.. My 2 RIR and 1 Buff has full combs and there a slightly redish-pink color. While 1 hasn't grew much of a comb yet. And someone mentioned earlier about them laying down when I approach and well I have 1 doing that. They keep going inside the coop but not in the nest box as of yet. And I had a struggle trying to see the vent but the glimpse i had was pale and oval looking. I'm gonna be patient with them because I enjoy having them in general but i had to make sure nothing was wrong or was there anything i needed to change

 

[aart]

And I had a struggle trying to see the vent but the glimpse i had was pale and oval looking.

It's hard to get all those fluffy butt feathers out of the way!!
Essential tho for bug, as well as butt, checks.

 

[SKYLINE]

IT HAPPENED!!! I got my first egg!!! I didn’t expect it I was going out to check the water because it’s so hot and it was just laying there!

 

[MaryJanet]

Congratulations!

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I've raised Buff Orpingtons and RIR. My first Buff hen started about six months after I got her as a chick. One of her chicks I kept started laying after turning six month old. I've also had hens that started laying right at five months of age.
One day I was going around the yard and picked up a sheet of wood and found ten eggs under it. Counting back the ten days, the hen must have started laying at five months of age. So the time the hens will start laying can vary.

 

[analyticalblonde]

IT HAPPENED!!! I got my first egg!!! I didn’t expect it I was going out to check the water because it’s so hot and it was just laying there!
View attachment 1870936 View attachment 1870937

CONGRATULATIONS! It's a beauty!!!!

 

[analyticalblonde]

View attachment 1871949 View attachment 1871947 I just got my first $1000 egg too!

The cream egg on the left is from one of my girls (don't know which one) and the one on the right is a "Store Bought" large egg. Not too bad for her first...got a second one yesterday...again, I don't know which girl, but it was pretty small...almost the size of a Chukar egg...same cream color. So very excited...my girls are growing up!

Unfortunately, I haven't heard them singing when the event occurs and of course, whoever is doing it, is not doing it in their nesting boxes. I found the first one right out in the open of their run...the second was in the back corner of their coop on the ground where she pushed the pine shavings up to make a make-do nest. Also, no predictable time of day either so I'm having to check many times a day until I can figure out how to get the girls used to using the nest boxes.

 

[analyticalblonde]