When will my hens start laying?

[MamaWalker]

I have 4 hens that are the same age (22 ish weeks) and only one is laying. She started almost 2 weeks ago. I'm new to this so I'm not sure what to expect. Is it different for different breeds? I have 6 RIR hens that are approaching 18 weeks and should be laying soon? I've been giving them oyster shell and laying pellets once my white leghorn started laying. I also used plastic easter eggs in the nesting boxes which seemed to work fairly well. Is there something I need to do differently? Or just be patient?

 

[KeyFlock]

I say just wait. Do you have any pictures that you can post of them?

 

[MamaWalker]

!


Sure! Here are my babies. Most of them were purchased on Easter weekend. The barred rocks and 2 RIR came about 3 weeks later.

 

[KeyFlock]

It looks to me like the one in the top pic is a rooster. For the others though, it still looks like they have a couple weeks to go. Normally when they're ready to lay, you'll catch them squatting when you get close to them, which is a definite sign that they either are laying or they're going to start soon. Another sign will be their combs and wattles, which will grow larger and darken to a nice red color when they are ready to lay.

 

[MamaWalker]

The top pic has a rooster in front but my white leghorn behind it. She is my only egg producer at the moment.

 

[junebuggena]

! This is a cockerel. There will be no eggs from this one.

One the ladder; far right, on the top rung is a cockerel. The red next to him is also a cockerel. The Red on the ground is also a cockerel.

Your pullets look like they have another few months before they start to lay.

 

[MamaWalker]

Yes I know about the roosters. I just recently rehomed all of the roosters but 2. Now I'm down to 10 hens & 2 roosters. The white leghorns are small but one of them gives me 1 egg a day. I guess the rest will come along in due time huh? Thanks!