When will I start to get eggs?

[RonZ13]

I have 3 Buff Orpies that hatched on May 1st. By my calculations they are 17 weeks old. They appear to be very healthy with a great appetite and lots of energy. They get lots of free range backyard time with grass and veggie leaves to eat. I am still giving them starter feed and have layer feed on hand for when they do start laying. I have grit and oyster shell available to them at all times. Lots of fresh water. I give then scratch in the mornings when I let them out. When can I expect an egg or 2 ?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Pictures of your birds faces will help.

 

[AmyMon]

We have 2 Buffs that were hatched around April 1. They started to show signs of squatting and having bright red combs about 2 weeks ago. We got our first egg July 31 but I know it wasn’t from the Buffs. We’re getting 3 eggs a day now, and I think at least 4 of them (of 6 total; only 2 are Buffs) are laying every other day or so. I think at least one of the Buffs just started laying this week. So that’s a really long way of saying you probably have another month or so to go.

 

[aart]

I have 3 Buff Orpies that hatched on May 1st. By my calculations they are 17 weeks old. They appear to be very healthy with a great appetite and lots of energy. They get lots of free range backyard time with grass and veggie leaves to eat. I am still giving them starter feed and have layer feed on hand for when they do start laying. I have grit and oyster shell available to them at all times. Lots of fresh water. I give then scratch in the mornings when I let them out. When can I expect an egg or 2 ?

Most start laying between 18-26 weeks old...some breeds sooner, some later.
Diet and time of year can make a difference.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

My May babies from last year started laying in November. It seemed like forever but well worth the wait. Good Luck!

 

[RonZ13]

Adding some pics of the "Golden Girls" Dorothy, Rose and Blanche.

 

[AmyMon]

Adding some pics of the "Golden Girls" Dorothy, Rose and Blanche.

Aww, they’re pretty! Perfect names!

 

[SueT]

From my experience, pullets hatched in May or later, will wait till spring to lay because the days are getting shorter. Yours were May 1, so just maybe they’ll come into lay before the days are too short. So it’s not just the age of the pullets, but the number of hours of daylight.
(This is assuming you are in the Northern Hemisphere).

 

[Beaker99]

I had March 28 chicks that just starting laying (3 of 10). So it took them six months.