When do RIRs lay?

[jomoncon]

I have 8 little RIRs that are 16 weeks old. What's the average age for them to begin laying? I've read everywhere from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. Since these are my first little chickies, I'm anxious for the first egg. 2 or 3 of them seem to have slightly larger combs & wattles.

When we first got them, my DH first thought Valentine's day - but they'll only be 17 weeks old by then. I though DH's birthday - April 18, when they'll be 26 weeks old.

 

[Fred's Hens]

They look three weeks out from serious laying. They'll squat, their combs will brighten. First you'll get the little attempts and sometimes it is a soft shell, sparrow sized egg. But in two weeks, they go right to it. I'd say with spring coming and lengthening days, you are in the right place at the right time.

 

[jomoncon]

Fred, That would be wonderful! As a first-time chicken owner, I've had these little eating machines since October & while they have been a lot of fun to watch their antics, I really want some eggs!!

Since your reply, I opened the nest boxes and put in some hay & wooden eggs. I have 2 of the chickies (soon to be hens) examining the boxes with real interest.

 

[Fred's Hens]

If they continue to scratch the hay out of the boxes, don't be concerned. I usually use straw, but for some reason, this batch, (which look strikingly similar to yours, btw) just insist on sweeping it out. I switched them to wood chips yesterday and they are content to leave those in the box. Silly chickens.

Next bag of feed needs to be layer feed, as well, if you haven't already switched them. They will be spitting out calcium like nobodies business soon.

 

[jomoncon]

I said I put hay in the boxes, but I really don't know if it's hay or straw. Never could keep the 2 types straight. I'll probably be getting some more feed in the next week or so. Since they hadn't started laying yet, I thought it might be too early to get layer feed. I've read that layer feed is not good for chickens that haven't started laying yet.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Mine was about 18 weeks. One day she squatted, and she laid about 5 days later.
Most notably, her comb, which wasn't very large, got brighter 2 weeks before.
Oh yes, her ears and wattles brightened at that same time.

 

[Kaceyx73]

I got my production reds middle of last summer. I also went through those crazy days wondering when that first egg would come. Born on July, 19, my first egg came Dec 30. Its now Feb 5, and 175 eggs later I am used to it. Thats with 11 RIR pullets. A little over a month in, most are still a grocery store medium, but the color is coming in good for the ones that have been laying the longest. I have even have one laying a nice speckled egg. At first, many of their eggs looked like they came out of an old dot matrix printer, but that cleared up quickly. Point being, enjoy that egg when it comes, there WILL be many more to come...

 

[chookadoo]

I have 3 cross breed similar to a RIR and 2 of them started laying just before 20 weeks, the other one at 22 weeks.

 

[chickenforever24]

they will lay when the time is right..