When do chickens lay?

[Annasg]

How can you tell when they are brooding? Do they just not get off the nest when you are feeding all of them?

 

[OKchkman]

What time of day to chickens usually lay? I have heard early morning and others have said it depends on the chicken. Any ideas as I am new to raising chickens and am not sure.

It's good to see another "okie" on here. As far as the chickies go, I have been raising chickens for a couple years now in SE Oklahoma (Hugo). The first birds I had were all killed when a stray dog ripped through the pen one night. We now have 8 new girls, 2 blonde Americuanas, 4 NHR, and 2 RIR. Like the first birds these are taking about 4-5 months to start laying. The heat does have an affect to a point. We actually had our first egg the other day. I feed them laying crumbles and throw scratch out for them. Sometime I'll put Oyster shell in their feed. This makes the egg shells harder. I also take handfulls of longer green grass and throw in the pen, they go crazy over that stuff.

 

[Jonathan w]

Mine lay starting before 630 am when I let them out, and i have had them lay at late at 5pm... so let them out they will go back in to the house to lay thier eggs...

 

[Jonathan w]

hahahaha oh you will know when a hen is broody they look all squat and pushed down on the nest and they will turn in to KUJO

 

[Selbygirl]

I have 24 week old Partridge Rock hens. they are free range but go in coop at night. 1 (Squeeks) has layed 2 eggs so far. the 1st one I found in the back of garage. the next day I put her in coop and she layed on the floor. I notice 3 of them panting. I decided to leave them in the coop/run to see if they will lay in the coop. Is this the right thing to do?

 

[TERRY4]

I have 24 week old Partridge Rock hens. they are free range but go in coop at night. 1 (Squeeks) has layed 2 eggs so far. the 1st one I found in the back of garage. the next day I put her in coop and she layed on the floor. I notice 3 of them panting. I decided to leave them in the coop/run to see if they will lay in the coop. Is this the right thing to do?

I don't let mine roam free. They are in a huge fenced in area. So if they would lay somewhere other than the coop I'd know. Do you have nest boxes? If so, put an golf ball in each one. I thought it sounded goofy until I tried it. Now I find eggs IN the nest boxes.

Leaving them in isn't going to hurt them IMO. Just make sure they have feed and water. Below is our nest boxes. I have clean straw in them.

 

[ginnychick]

I too use the golf balls to help give them an idea of what the boxes are for! When our first hen started laying, she would just do it right by where she roosts at night. I put her in the box a couple of times to get her used to it and see the golf balls. On the fourth day, she used the box. The other hens started laying just a week and a half later and they used the boxes right away. Do you have egg boxes in the coop? If so, try putting in the golf ball (much cheaper than buying a ceramic egg! and place them in it a few times....

 

[Selbygirl]

I did put golf balls in 2 of the boxes...my mother in law has some antique glass eggs that were made for this reason. I will get some from her and see if it helps...my girls and 1 rooster are not too happy about being left in though. they have a fenced area to go out in. feed and water are in the coop so no worries there.

 

[Mr Pilo]

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?

 

[TERRY4]

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?

How long since you found the eggs? Do you have oyster shell and layer feed you give them? Oh, how old are they?