When will my hens start laying? What will there production be?

[Skatedude53]

I have 8 hens. Some are 12 weeks and some are about 17. Lets start with the 12 weeks. I have 2 black sex links, 1 red sex link, and 2 white leghorns. Now with the 17 week....I have 1 easter egger, 1 delaware, 1 Rhode Island Red. When will they start laying? What will be the weekly rate of th hens? Thank you....in advance

 

[Y N dottes]

all hens start laying at different times....even within the same breed. most will start between 21 and 25 weeks. It might be a little later w/ winter coming.
Sex linked hens are well known for their egg production, and so are RIRs and leghorns. EEs are more known for the color of their eggs than the amount they give, and delawares are right in between. Once they all start to lay consistantly, which probably wont be untill next since winter is coming and hens slow down their laying in the darker months, u will probably get about 6-7 eggs a day, though if theyre all good layers u can expect 8 often enough. All chickens are different, so nothing is for sure.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Sex Links and white Leghorns can lay as early as 19 weeks, but don't start counting those eggs yet! The EE and Delaware might not lay until 30+ weeks. The winter weather will probably delay many of them. I always try to get my babies as early as possible in the spring, early March if I can, because several times I've had pullets that didn't lay even one egg until warmer weather in the spring, even though they were clearly old enough. Once they are well established in their laying pattern (laying 6 months or more) you can expect 6 eggs a week from the sex links and the Leghorns. The RIR will be close to that, too. I'd expect 5 -8 eggs each day by early next summer.

 

[Skatedude53]

I live in San Diego so "weather" won't be a problem. I'm going to be setting up light bulb with a timer to help with the daylight hours.

 

[6littlechicks]

If you are putting light in, I think you'll start getting eggs in the next 3-6 weeks. I have 5 laying and get 5 eggs about 4 days a week, the minimum is 2 I have gotten but they usually take 1 day off every 7 -10 days and some of my breeds aren't heavy layers so only lay 3 eggs a week. Mine are 21-30 weeks and I started adding light last month, 4am-7am and again at 6pm-9pm.

 

[Y N dottes]

I have five laying hens, and im getting about 4 eggs a day right now, ocasionally ill get 5. I think the numbers will go down as it starts to get colder and darker though....

 

[Skatedude53]

Dope...

 

[cousin dave]

Hi there, a quick question, Should we be concerned that one of our 24 chickens, a barred rock, is laying earlier than the rest, and is working on her sixth half sized egg? When should the eggs begin to get bigger?

 

[cousin dave]

Hi there, a quick question, Should we be concerned that one of our 24 chickens, a barred rock, is laying earlier than the rest, and is working on her sixth half sized egg? When should the eggs begin to get bigger?

 

[Skatedude53]

It's different for all chickens. I know that when chickens first start laying there not that normal. Do you feed oyster shell and a laying feed?