When do chickens lay?

[GAFarmGirl87]

Yup, I've done the golf ball thing, and it sure worked!

The first 3 nights, my girls roosted in the nest boxes, so I closed up the nesting house until they were about 18 weeks old, then I opened the nesting house back up again. I put the golf balls in there right away. They scratched around it in for a little while, but about 2-3 weeks later, I had my first egg, IN the nesting box, right next to the golf ball

I was so excited I ran in the house telling (yelling) my family I had my first egg!

I kept the golf balls in there for the first 3 months. I removed them about a month ago, and they are still laying where they are supposed to, the smart little cookies!!

 

[whiskaers]

Depends on the chickin. I have 1 RIR and 1 white leghorn. They will lay in morning (7 am) one day, 10am the next, 3pm the next, and/or skip a day.
I think it is when the mood strikes them!

 

[rig001]

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?

 

[Black Dog Acres]

I have 28 hens and they lay at all different times from 7 am until evening.

 

[OKchkman]

My hens just started laying this week. I've had 5 eggs total. Don't know when they lay though

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Our girls are almost 20 weeks old. No eggs yet, but they've been checking out the nest boxes for a couple days already. Going in, rearranging the astroturf, wood chips, and fake eggs. Does this mean they'll start laying in the next couple days? I CAN'T WAIT for FRESH EGGS!!!! SOOOO EXCITED!

 

[chickenlily13]

My young hens lay mostly in the morning , a couple in the afternoon too. You know when cause they get real noisy like they know somethings up. Have 3 nest boxes for 8 hens but am putting a couple more in cause I think sometimes they have too wait in line and don't like it. Found my first egg layed under their coop like one of them couldn't hold back anymore.ha Can't hurt to have extra nest boxes! We'll see what happens , maybe each should have their own.

 

[TERRY4]

Our girls are almost 20 weeks old. No eggs yet, but they've been checking out the nest boxes for a couple days already. Going in, rearranging the astroturf, wood chips, and fake eggs. Does this mean they'll start laying in the next couple days? I CAN'T WAIT for FRESH EGGS!!!! SOOOO EXCITED!

 

Yes. that's definitely signs of going to lay eggs. let them have some privacy and have fun.

 

[1876 Farm]

My young hens lay mostly in the morning , a couple in the afternoon too. You know when cause they get real noisy like they know somethings up. Have 3 nest boxes for 8 hens but am putting a couple more in cause I think sometimes they have too wait in line and don't like it. Found my first egg layed under their coop like one of them couldn't hold back anymore.ha Can't hurt to have extra nest boxes! We'll see what happens , maybe each should have their own.

Chickenlily13,

You should be ok with the nesting boxes you have. I have 12 hens that have access to 6 boxes, they lay in 2-3 of the boxes only and normally it's in the same boxes from day to day.

 

[m96tacoma]

I've got some older hens who lay in the late morning. Sometimes they run out of the coop and head to the shed where there is straw and lay their eggs there. The pullets are still not laying in a regular schedule. Hit or miss with them. Sometimes I find an egg round 1 in the afternoon.
Mary
Spokane, WA