When Will my 20 Week Old Hens Start Laying?

[WhitneyJo]

I'm right there with you My two oldest girls (on the left) are just at 21 weeks, the two on the right are a week or so younger....I keep checking, and waiting, and checking....so exciting and frustrating at the same time

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

mine just started like 4 days ago, 2 barred rocks... they are about 5 months.

 

[coach723]

They'll lay when they're ready. Since they aren't machines you have to wait until their bodies say it's time. Anticipation.............
When they do, nothing like finding that first egg in the nest box.

 

[WhitneyJo]

Omg! Look what was waiting on me when I got home! Sadly she laid it in the entry way to the coop and someone pecked it, didn’t eat it, but definitely pecked it. I hope that doesn’t become a habit. They are still adjusting to their new coop, this is only the second night in there so hopefully they will start laying in the nesting boxes. I put golf balls in there tonight.

 

[aart]

Curiosity peck, not unusual...I'd not worry.
Congrats!

 

[coach723]

Congrats!

 

[Rhodeislandsilkie]

Wow! Congratulations! I just bought a wooden egg a few days ago and tried to see what would happen. They just pecks at it. Congratulations on your first egg! Can’t wait until mine start laying!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Congrats on the first egg! I was going to chime in and say you really can't tell until they start showing signs, like squatting when you walk up or put your hand down like you are going to pet them. Mine started digging around in the nesting box before they laid. That said, no one breed laid before the other. One of my black sex links laid at 17 weeks while the other was closer to 25 weeks. One of my buff orps laid at 20 weeks, while the other didn't lay until almost 30 weeks!

 

[Rhodeislandsilkie]

Yeah, I did the squat test on all of them. One if them, actaully stayed squtting for about a minute. So maybe she'll lay soon.