When will my chickens start laying?

[lightchick]

HI! I have 4 chickens that are a little over 11 weeks old. I was wondering when they'll start laying and what signs will there be when they are going to start laying?
The breeds are...
Silkie
Black sex link
Brown sex link
Australorp

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They will generally start to lay between 18 and 28 weeks - some earlier, some later - so you have some wait ahead of you just yet. Your sex links will tend to be among the first to lay as they are production hybrids bred to mature quickly and lay prolifically. Silkies, on the other hand, tend to be on the slower to mature and less prolific laying side of the spectrum. Your BA should fall in line as a close second to the sex links.

Signs you may see (these don't all always happen before the bird lays) will be reddening/growth of the comb and wattles, the "egg/submissive squat", checking out of the nest boxes, etc.

 

[lightchick]

OK thanks!