When will my chickens begin to lay

[WingItRanch]

There is no guarantee

There is no guarantee when they will lay. A lot of things play into it like breed, climate, and just the chicken itself. @WingItRanch's took 25 weeks from my calculations. I don't know what kind they were. So, no guarantee, but you can tell when they are getting close when the comb and wattles get pretty red and they start showing interest in the nesting boxes. Or, they may even start squatting for you. You didn't mention a rooster.

I'm in Houston area so similar climate. I have Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers, and a few others so similar breeds as you. Like Bill said, every chicken matures differently. All you can do is wait and see.

I wouldn't switch to layer until all are laying eggs. Honestly, I wouldn't switch to layer at all. I prefer to keep the protein higher and just provide oyster shells on the side. You can put oyster shell out anytime. They'll take some if they need it or ignore it if they don't.

 

[bill3607]

I'm in Houston area so similar climate. I have Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers, and a few others so similar breeds as you. Like Bill said, every chicken matures differently. All you can do is wait and see.

I wouldn't switch to layer until all are laying eggs. Honestly, I wouldn't switch to layer at all. I prefer to keep the protein higher and just provide oyster shells on the side. You can put oyster shell out anytime. They'll take some if they need it or ignore it if they don't.

I do use layer, but I can get 22% at the local CO-OP. But, I don't keep them on 22% all the time. I use 16% about 50% of the time. Sometimes I just mix the two.

 

[bill3607]

I'm in Houston

Oh, I just realized that you may know that wild one from Houston they call @Kiki Winz!!

 

[WingItRanch]

Oh, I just realized that you may know that wild one from Houston they call @Kiki Winz!!

Houston is a pretty big city!

 

[Kiki]

I wouldn't until they started laying.

I would. It wont hurt to start them on the extra calcium a few weeks before they start laying.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/c...rements-of-poultry-ninth-revised-edition-1994

 

[bill3607]

I would. It wont hurt to start them on the extra calcium a few weeks for they start laying.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/c...rements-of-poultry-ninth-revised-edition-1994
View attachment 3956581

And, you know I am not going to read all that.

But, how about just feeding them a bunch of treats and not even worrying about layer, all flock, or whatever but maybe ever now and again? Will that work?

 

[bill3607]

Houston is a pretty big city!

But, @Kiki is like Nation Wide, so I just assumed.

 

[bill3607]

Ok, I have to be careful here. I don't need to hijack this person thread. I have a tendency sometimes according to @azurbanclucker

 

[bill3607]

Iv had my chickens since 6/1/24. And they haven’t layed any eggs yet. I have various breeds New Hampshire red
Green queens
Splash Americana
Barred rock

When can I expect them to begin laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/first-egg-d.1640486/

 

[azurbanclucker]

Ok, I have to be careful here. I don't need to hijack this person thread. I have a tendency sometimes according to @azurbanclucker