When Will They Lay?

[atm21]

Hoping someone can help me! I’m curious when I should expect my hens to start laying. Here’s a few pics I tried getting the best I could. Hard when they move constantly lol. I have buff orps, welsummer, salmon faverolles, lav orps, silver Wyandotte, gold wyndotte, speckled Sussex. If the pics are too hard to tell I understand, I’m also curious when these breeds typically start. They are about 20-21 weeks old

 

[Farmgirl1878]

My Littles are about thirteen weeks old and are juuuuuuuuust starting to get little pink faces! Their brother, the BLRW, has crowed once (sort of anyway) and just started dancing with the older pullets today. He’s still afraid of them, so will only dance when one of them is on the other side of the fence, but it’s a start. And he’s getting bossy with the Littles. Still not with me tho, loves to be stroked and cooed to as he’s falling asleep.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Should be anytime now. As they get ready to start laying, you should notice that their faces get more red, they start squatting when you approach, and they show an interest in the nest box. Mine also started throwing feathers and assorted lightweight ash and trash (leaves, odd bits of grass, weeds, etc.) over their shoulders. They’re getting pretty pink!

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Anytime time now!!! If they don’t start laying soon thought they may wait until winter. My hens didn’t start laying until about March actually. They were already late layers but when winter hit they didn’t lay until spring came

 

[atm21]

Should be anytime now. As they get ready to start laying, you should notice that their faces get more red, they start squatting when you approach, and they show an interest in the nest box. Mine also started throwing feathers and assorted lightweight ash and trash (leaves, odd bits of grass, weeds, etc.) over their shoulders. They’re getting pretty pink!

Yeah I thought their combs and wattles are starting to get more red. It just sucks to wait for the first eggs lol. Some will squat I haven’t noticed a lot of interest in the nest boxes. I’m just hoping some will they through winter with a light.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I've got two EEers in the batch of youngsters. They're not even thinking about turning pink yet! As far as having "that many eggs" goes, it's a blessing and a curse. I just hope the neighbors don't get tired of eggs!

If possible, you might want to have your lights come on even earlier and then not have them on in the evening. If you can get up to let them out of the coop when the lights come on, or set your automatic pop door to open, that might be better. I think they might get confused if all of a sudden the lights go out in the evening! Mine would complain like gangbusters and would probably not be able to find their roost in the dark.

 

[Clucking_Crazy]

I only noticed that they had been in the nest boxes maybe a week prior to getting my eggs. All the sudden the nests had been "arranged" to look like an actual birds nest.

You may have already answered this, but, do your birds free range at all? Is it possible they are laying somewhere else of their own choosing?

 

[atm21]

I only noticed that they had been in the nest boxes maybe a week prior to getting my eggs. All the sudden the nests had been "arranged" to look like an actual birds nest.

You may have already answered this, but, do your birds free range at all? Is it possible they are laying somewhere else of their own choosing?

No they don’t. I wish but they get into the barn too much and destroy feed bags and flowers lol

 

[atm21]

FINALLY!!! Got my first egg 3 days ago and another the next day! Both were on the floor though. Then today I got two and they were in the nest boxes! Not sure who laid them I’d guess salmon Faverolles or Delawares they seem to hang out in the coop the most.

 

[atm21]

Whoop whoop! Congrats! Those first eggs are so exciting!

I know! It really is! You wait so long and it starts seeming so close but it’s not! I got 4 today so they are really getting going lol