When do guineas begin to lay?

[Codys_chickstagram]

I was on Instagram and I saw people talking about their guineas beginning to lay, so I wondered how long it takes to get that first egg, according to an article here on BYC it says “16-18 weeks they begin to lay”. But, according to google, it takes two years to reach sexual maturity? My (3) guineas are 8 months old and I have not had a single egg yet? Can someone that has raised guineas please tell me when I will get my first eggs!
[this is my first time raising guineas, so all comments will be helpful
(Thanks in advance )

 

[R2elk]

I was on Instagram and I saw people talking about their guineas beginning to lay, so I wondered how long it takes to get that first egg, according to an article here on BYC it says “16-18 weeks they begin to lay”. But, according to google, it takes two years to reach sexual maturity? My (3) guineas are 8 months old and I have not had a single egg yet? Can someone that has raised guineas please tell me when I will get my first eggs!
[this is my first time raising guineas, so all comments will be helpful
(Thanks in advance )

Guinea Fowl reach sexual maturity by the time they are six months old. Some people have reported guinea hens laying their first egg as young as 4 months old. All of the guinea hens that I have had laid their first egg during the spring following the year they were hatched. People farther south have reported their guineas laying as early as November of the year they were hatched.

Guineas are seasonal layers. If you are in the northern hemisphere you should expect eggs by April if your guineas are hens.

When do Guinea fowl start to lay eggs?

 

[Codys_chickstagram]

Guinea Fowl reach sexual maturity by the time they are six weeks old. Some people have reported guinea hens laying their first egg as young as 4 weeks old. All of the guinea hens that I have had laid their first egg during the spring following the year they were hatched. People farther south have reported their guineas laying as early as November of the year they were hatched.

Guineas are seasonal layers. If you are in the northern hemisphere you should expect eggs by April if your guineas are hens.

Thank you so much!

 

[R2elk]

Thank you so much!

The ages referred to were supposed to be months, not weeks. Post has been edited to correct the error.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

The ages referred to were supposed to be months , not weeks. Post has been edited to correct the error.

Yeah, I was wondering about the 6 weeks!!!

 

[red horse ranch]

My guinea hens usually start to lay in April the year after they hatch. That would put them at 10 to 11 months old. Since you are in Oklahoma they could start laying in March. Some people have reported getting eggs in the winter of their first year but I've never had that happen.

p.s. You have some very pretty guineas but they seem to have large wattles. It makes me wonder if they are males. Have you heard the 2 syllable 'buckwheat' sound from any of them? That is the sound a female would be making.

 

[DonnaScott]

I tallied my eggs today and it reached an even 40 on 2/19 and I'm in South Jersey.

I'm not sure if one laid them all or it's a combination of the females since I suck at this.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I tallied my eggs today and it reached an even 40 on 2/19 and I'm in South Jersey.

I'm not sure if one laid them all or it's a combination of the females since I suck at this.

Wow - early girls!!!!

 

[BoogieBug]

I went out to feed my three guineas their worms and found two eggs! I was shocked!!! They don't normally start laying till April! Is this unusual?

 

[R2elk]

I went out to feed my three guineas their worms and found two eggs! I was shocked!!! They don't normally start laying till April! Is this unusual?

It is a little early but you are much farther south than some of us. Guineas that far south have been known to start as early as November and then stop again before getting really serious about laying.