When should I expect new hens to start laying

[jayceesue]

I brought three red sex links home on Friday. They seemed to settle right in, eating, drinking, foraging, went inside their shelter at 7pm. All seems well. I even had dummy eggs in the two nesting boxes. When should I expect eggs? The man I bought them from said they were between 1-1.5 years old

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

As long as they are still laying, some sex links burn out between 1-3 years of age and never lay again, I would expect them to settle by 1-4 weeks and resume laying.

 

[jayceesue]

Thanks for the info! I figured a week but am anxious that I’m doing everything right

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hens need to feel safe to lay, so however long before they feel that way, hopefully soon.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Once your ladies feel safe and sound, they will lay. Just be sure to have fake eggs or golf balls in the nesting boxes to teach them where you would like them to lay.
Waiting is the hardest part!

 

[pozees2]

Couple suggestions just in case - make sure they have a calcium source - if you are feeding a Layer feed then they are already getting it, but if you are feeding something else, like an All Flock for example, you will want to provide free choice oyster shell in a separate dish. At 1.5 years of age it's possible they will start to molt anytime now, meaning the probably won't lay until they are done molting, You can help speed up that process by feeding a higher protein feed (20-22% protein) white they are growing new feathers. Feathers are made of protein, so supplementing what they get in the feed will help them grow their new feathers without depleting their bodies.

 

[aart]

I would think that if they had been actively laying you would have gotten and egg the next day(one that had started forming before they left their previous home).
Just gonna have to wait and see.
...or, might be time for an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/