When do pullets start laying?

Normally, around week 20. Should they begin a touch earlier, you'll be happy and should they not until week 23-24, you'll be OK. In other words, they lay when they lay.

 

5-6 months is generally a good bet for pullets to begin laying, give the larger breeds a bit more time to mature. You're also beating the sun this time of year, so they may be mature enough, but not have enough daylight hours to actually go into lay without supportive light.

 

In my experience....when they freaking feel like it. LOL

Sorry not to be a downer. I have a 6 month old pullet that has had a super red face for 3 MONTHS and still no eggs.

I've noticed most hatchery hens are right around 20-24 weeks.....everyone else is when they get around to it.

 

I think you've gotten your question answered. It does vary according to breeds and time of year. You'll have those beautiful eggs in a month or so. Until then, just enjoy those beautiful hens.

 

The hen in my avatar wasn't yet laying when I took that picture, so the red face and developed wattles and comb don't necessarily mean it's *that* close. She waited another month!

Going by what I've read on here, and my own limited experience with only three hens, they'll start laying anywhere from 18 - 30 weeks (some can take up to a year), depending on the breed, health, time of year, when the hen decides she wants to, good ol' Mother Nature, and of course Murphy's Law, which round here means the more you want it to happen, the longer you'll have to wait! LOL

 

Quote:One of our 9 chickens started laying at 18.5 weeks roughly. It took nearly a full month for another to start laying with her. All 9 have roughly the same hatch day and now 7 weeks later (25.5ish weeks old) only 5 of our 9 chickens have started to lay eggs.

Hang in there. If they lay before 24 weeks old that is great! You are right though, when they start to develop the red waddles and comb they are reaching maturity. Some of our pullets have been at the stage for 2+ months without laying however.