when will my chickens start to lay??

[henryhoe]

Hi im new to this site and to chickens and am from northern ireland, i have 5 rir's and 1 light sussex. i think they are about 17 weeks old can anyone please tell me when they will start to lay eggs, will the light sussex lay about the same time as the rir's? Any help would be great, many thanks

 

[katdam]

don't know about the sussex..but my RIRs started about 21 wks old but yours may lay sooner or later...this website is awesome and the ppl here are great..good luck with your flock!!!

 

[Judy]

My RIIR started around 20 and my Speckled Sussex I think more like 25. Not sure how much correlation there is across the pond, though.

 

[henryhoe]

Thanks, they have all of a sudden found their voices, im hoping that that is one of the signs, my 7 year old son checks their box every single morning without fail, hopfully he will get a surprize soon!!

 

[chiggerbit]

Twenty-five weeks for Speckled Sussex? Oh, wow, that soon??? I guess I' better get the nest boxes bought and placed. I figured I had until close to Christmas for mine, which were hatched June 1st.

 

[henryhoe]

Is it normal for my chicks to all sleep in the nesting box at night??

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Mine often have done so when young, but when they were around point of lay or near full size, they have always joined the rest of the flock on the roost. You may have to train them to use it. Just set them up there every night, after they have settled down for the night. They should get the idea in a few days, hopefully. You can also close off the nests at night for a little while; normally they only lay during the day.

 

[Kaeta44]

I'm also from the UK (Yorkshire) and I've got a Light Sussex too. She started laying around 24 weeks and produces an egg on alternate days - although sometimes she forgets that she's already laid and gives us one the following day too. You may not know that hens stop laying when they moult (some of ours moulted in their first year, others didn't). She'll most probably stop laying when it gets cold too.


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