When to expect egg laying to begin?

[MIchickenlady]

Hello everyone

I have 3 Buff Orpington & 1 Buff Rock girls that I brought home from Tractor supply July 19, 2017.
The girls are 14 weeks old now, doing well. We live in Mid MI, weather is getting colder, I'm wondering if I should expect them to lay any eggs this year now that days are shorter?
Will they not lay any eggs until Spring if I don't put up supplemental light?

The timing is just different this time around. Last time (3 yr ago) we got chicks March 1 and by Fall they were laying through the winter. Since we dint get these girls until mid-July, I'm wondering what they'll do??
I'm wondering if I should still switch them to Layer feed at 18 weeks even if its snowing and theyre not laying??
I could open up the nesting box in a few weeks and see what happens? Should I put up a string of lights on a timer? I dont want to force them to lay, but it seems like a LONG time to go without laying if they dont until Spring days come back around...?
Thanks!!

 

[MairyMai]

Expect eggs to start coming along at 5-6 months of age.

 

[MIchickenlady]

Expect eggs to start coming along at 5-6 months of age.

Regardless of short days & cold temps?? They will still start laying? I thought if the days were short they didnt lay...at least thats what I've read...plus our last girls 3 yr ago stopped for the winter. I'm just wondering if these girls will really lay before spring. Michigan winters are long and cold with pretty short days.

 

[MairyMai]

To you have a heat lamp at night in your coop?

 

[MairyMai]

If so, as long as they stay warm and have plenty of light they should still lay.

 

[MIchickenlady]

If so, as long as they stay warm and have plenty of light they should still lay.

That's what I'm trying to figure out, if I should put up lights or heat? I do have electric to my coop , but I wasnt planning to do either, just have a heated waterer.
So, with no supplemental heat or light, will they still begin laying in Dec-Jan? or maybe wait til Spring??

 

[Parront]

Check out your local Michigan thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/michigan-thread-all-are-welcome.697050/page-4006#post-19095602
As days get longer after the solstice, your birds will start to come into lay, but they could vary on how much light they need. Increasing day length is the thing that starts a hen laying, along with being old enough, 18-20 weeks is probably the soonest for Orpingtons. Can be 6 months old even in the summer!

 

[MIchickenlady]

Check out your local Michigan thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/michigan-thread-all-are-welcome.697050/page-4006#post-19095602
As days get longer after the solstice, your birds will start to come into lay, but they could vary on how much light they need. Increasing day length is the thing that starts a hen laying, along with being old enough, 18-20 weeks is probably the soonest for Orpingtons. Can be 6 months old even in the summer!

Ok...so, if I do not add light or heat, and my girls are just 14 weeks old now...will they begin laying in the next 6 weeks, even if its dark out at 530pm?? Will they not lay until Spring?? Seems like a long time for them to wait to lay....

 

[Parront]

I would start lighting in the morning, adding 15 min per week, now. Then, when they are old enough, their days will have been lengthening for a month. It is light more than heat that makes a difference. But, and here is where locals could be more informative than I, if they are stressed by something like frostbite, I would think that they would not lay.