When do White Leghorns generally start laying?

Tiwanda

In the Brooder
Sep 20, 2017
44
15
44
Virginia Beach, VA
I have a 4.5 month old White Leghorn (and 1 ISA Brown/Red Star 5 months) That are holding out on me! My others started laying two weeks ago. I have a feeling the Red Star will star laying this week. But, just curious about my Leghorn. The waddles are VERY red but her comb is just pale pink. Is there anything I can do to encourage egg laying?
 
You'll have to be patient. Leghorns do lay well, and generally lay sooner than other breeds, but a lack of protein or daylight causes a delay.
What have you been feeding them?
 
You'll have to be patient. Leghorns do lay well, and generally lay sooner than other breeds, but a lack of protein or daylight causes a delay.
What have you been feeding them?
50/50 grower and layer feed at all times, fruit & veggie scraps daily, meat scraps 2-3 times a week, scratch, oyster shell and regular grit (free choice)......
 
Patience, she's just a late bloomer. As Welshies said, generally leghorns are early layers, but some just mature more slowly.
 
50/50 grower and layer feed at all times, fruit & veggie scraps daily, meat scraps 2-3 times a week, scratch, oyster shell and regular grit (free choice)......
Sounds somewhat okay. I'd honestly take them off of the lay feed. Layer feed can delay development, harm or kill non-laying birds- including non laying hens, babies, and roosters. Liver failure is not unheard of. Layer feed tends to also lack in the protein department.
An 18-22% feed would be your best bet along with free choice oyster shell and grit.
I'd also severely cut back those treats. Vegetable and table scraps are by no means nutritious, as most human veggies have large water content in them, unlike natural forage (which, by the way, birds forage for seeds, roots, bugs, and grasses). Treats should only make up 10% of all feed fed to a flock... or less.
 
Sounds somewhat okay. I'd honestly take them off of the lay feed. Layer feed can delay development, harm or kill non-laying birds- including non laying hens, babies, and roosters. Liver failure is not unheard of. Layer feed tends to also lack in the protein department.
An 18-22% feed would be your best bet along with free choice oyster shell and grit.
I'd also severely cut back those treats. Vegetable and table scraps are by no means nutritious, as most human veggies have large water content in them, unlike natural forage (which, by the way, birds forage for seeds, roots, bugs, and grasses). Treats should only make up 10% of all feed fed to a flock... or less.
These two birds are in with all of my others (barred rocks, red stars) who are laying now. How do you separate the Feed? When I say "scraps" I refer to things such as the pulp from my brevil juicer....kale, beets, apples etc...Nothing like fried foods or buttery potatoes. They do free range for a couple of hours a day.
 
These two birds are in with all of my others (barred rocks, red stars) who are laying now. How do you separate the Feed? When I say "scraps" I refer to things such as the pulp from my brevil juicer....kale, beets, apples etc...Nothing like fried foods or buttery potatoes. They do free range for a couple of hours a day.
Do you suggest I increase their protein? like meat? mealworms? Also, they LOVE coconut oil and sun flower seeds (included in the scratch)
 
These two birds are in with all of my others (barred rocks, red stars) who are laying now. How do you separate the Feed? When I say "scraps" I refer to things such as the pulp from my brevil juicer....kale, beets, apples etc...Nothing like fried foods or buttery potatoes. They do free range for a couple of hours a day.
Kale, beets, apples, those are all high water content. Look into natural forage vs human vegetables. You'd be shocked. Even our "healthy" foods aren't that great- they really only lower protein content.
I wouldn't seperate the feed, I would completely switch to an 18-22% grower, all flock, or maintenance feed. Get rid of that layer.
I would stop feeding so many treats. You aren't doing them a favour. Cut back to once a day- if that. Their treats (meat, veggies, scratch included) should comprise 10% of their diet or less. By giving treats you are actually lowering their protein content in their diet.
Feed an 18-22% feed. The percentage means the protein level.
 
Kale, beets, apples, those are all high water content. Look into natural forage vs human vegetables. You'd be shocked. Even our "healthy" foods aren't that great- they really only lower protein content.
I wouldn't seperate the feed, I would completely switch to an 18-22% grower, all flock, or maintenance feed. Get rid of that layer.
I would stop feeding so many treats. You aren't doing them a favour. Cut back to once a day- if that. Their treats (meat, veggies, scratch included) should comprise 10% of their diet or less. By giving treats you are actually lowering their protein content in their diet.
Feed an 18-22% feed. The percentage means the protein level.
Thanks for the advise on the feed! They do only get their ""treats" once a day.
 

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