When do chickens lay?

[Marce705]

I'm so excited!! My Barred Rock Mary gave me her first egg (on the left) 2 days later her second egg (right) her 3rd egg was even bigger, now she's reverted back to 2nd egg size. All in about a week and a half. Two days ago my Buff Orphington Chicken Nugget gave me her first egg...They think they are rock stars with all the singing, and they take all day to do it. Mary is in there for hours when she goes to have her eggs...we'll see who is up next. I have 13 all around the same age. I'm looking forward to seeing the routine they come up with. I just love my funky chickens.

 

[1876 Farm]

Hi, I have 2 RIR and about 2 weeks ago now, I found 2 big brown eggs, but that was it haven't find nething else since then, all I find is feathers, is this normal?

I think that's just the way of a chicken.... I have 16 hens that are just at laying age.. I got 1 egg 2 weeks ago and another 2 two days later.. I haven't seen any since. It's hard to be patient.

 

[fisherlady]

So if anyone knows... I have a bantam hen that has been sitting in the nesting box. She hasn't laid an egg but acting out of sort. Kinda like she wants to lay but doesn't. Is she maybe sick?

Does she sleep in the nest? Do you see her out and about with the rest of the hens through the day? Depending on her age she may be broody rather than sick. Check out the broody hen info on the site (numerous threads about broody hens, just do a search of the phrase broody hen) If you don't think she is broody then you may want to post info about how she is acting on the threads for emergencies and illness.

 

[Joan71]

Terry4, I had to separate her. The rooster had rode her so much that she had large open wounds under her wings. She got sick and the other hens were picking at her open wounds. She could not heal up even tho I was doctoring her everyday. Since I have separated her, she is healing up and her feathers are growing back. When she has fully recouperated, I will put her back among the other hens and move the rooster. I know she is stressed in a coop by herself, however, she is healing. If I had not moved her, I dont think she would have lasted another week. I did put one of the other hens with her and that hen picked her wounds open again and I had to start all over trying to heal her up. This has been going on for a while, but now she appears to be very healthy with the exception of the healing and growing feathers under her wings.

There is an article here on BYC that talks about the rooster/hen situations. A rooster can pick one hen for his main chick and ride her only. Sounds like you need to put the rooster by himself. Or get rid of him. They also talk about how hens will pick at open wounds. You are correct to keep her by herself until she is completed healed. If she is lonely, you might could put her in a separate pen/cage near the others so she can see them and talk with them. I read everything I could from the educational part of BYC. I learned so much about hens, flocks, and my part in their well being. I had a smaller hen than the other 3 in my flock. My human instinct was to protect her. But it was explained here about their pecking order and how important it is to let the flock work out their problems until one is getting injured or blood is being drawn. Please let us know how your girl does. The rooster could be her stressor and if that proves true, he would have to be kept from her. If you are not aware of her place in the pecking order of your flock, putting another hen in with her could cause additional stress, if the other hen is higher up in the order with her, or if lower and trying to move up. The pecking order can change in your flock. I would not put her back with the flock until she is completely well, strong and able to defend herself from the other hens. The rooster is another matter and you will have to decide about him. Good luck.

 

[TERRY4]

Great info! Thank you! So bottom line is ... they lay when they lay!

Pretty much so! Lol.. Our girls haven't been laying a month yet and just yesterday got up to 5 eggs. We have 6 pullets. Here they start about 8:30 a.m. or so, and yesterday ended up around 4:00 p.m. or so. And as I have read, they seem to be on 25 hours cycles.

 

[TERRY4]

I have Two Rhode Island Reds and two Barred Rocks. One Rhode Island started laying about 2 1/2 weeks ago and one Barred Rock about a week ago. Why are the other two not laying?

It depends on each chicken. I have 6, and not all started the same time, and a couple not even close to the others. But they are finally laying. It took about 3 weeks or so. So be patient! Plus, you might think not all are laying, but they are, just different times and not every day at first.

 

[Bens-Hens]

We put some golf balls in the nest boxes, first couple missed but after that it was like follow the leader.

 

[jenifry]

I don't know about every chicken, but mine are usually done laying by 10 am. My pullets are still a little wacky and I will get an afternoon egg every now and then, but mostly all my eggs come in the morning.

 

[bugglesmommy]

All of my birds are evening layers. They usually don't lay until near dusk.

 

[iheartnh]

I think depends of the hen and her cycle. I get the majority of eggs in the morning, and 1 or 2 in the afternoon.