When will they lay?

[SunriseChickers]

I have six five month old chickens. Two Rhode Island Reds, two White Rocks, and two Golden Laced Wyandottes. When can I start to expect eggs? What can I do to help them start once they reach the appropriate age? What can I do to promote production once they have started?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Pictures of your girls would help ... Red combs & wattles, checking out the nest, squatting & finger measure to see who's laying .... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[SunriseChickers]

Pictures of your girls would help ... Red combs & wattles, checking out the nest, squatting & finger measure to see who's laying .... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

A couple have vibrant, red wattles and combs, the others are slightly paler. Thanks.

 

[SunriseChickers]

Click for full view.

 

[Wezdin]

providing calcium will keep the hens laying hard shelled eggs, hope this helps!

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck, 20 weeks old...you may have awhile to wait , especially since days are shorter. But, could be soon..they are looking like they are getting pretty red. Are they squatting for you at all? Are they friendlier (less skittish) than when they were younger?

We have 6 breeds approx 36 weeks old. Just this week we got a first egg from a dark brown leghorn. The other two DBLs haven’t laid yet (definitely aren’t paying their rent!). the DBLs have been red (comb and wattles) for a long time. The other 5 breeds started to lay around 20-26 weeks old.

 

[LlamaGirl4]

You may have a while. Also they may not lay until spring since it gets darker

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I concur with most of what has been written. Those breeds would be expected to lay by about 20-24 week if reaching that age in spring or summer. If they reach that age between summer and winter solstice (declining day length), all bets are off.
The best indicator of the ability and maturity to lay eggs is the space between pelvic bones.
Brighter red, enlarged combs and wattles are a good indicator but I had an Orpington hen that laid well but had a small pale comb her whole life.
I have a hen now that has a huge bright red comb but she molted a couple months ago and hasn't laid since.
I don't put much stock into squatting as an indicator. Squatting is a desire to mate on the part of the hen, not that laying is imminent. After hundreds of layers, I haven't had a hen squat for me in years. (likely because roosters run with each flock)

 

[ChickNanny13]

Agree with what's been said, the shorter days won't help with them laying. Here in HI our days (sunlight) get shorter too but last years girls (4BO) gave me 3.5 eggs a day through the Winter. Not sure what this years will do.

 

[SunriseChickers]

Good luck, 20 weeks old...you may have awhile to wait , especially since days are shorter. But, could be soon..they are looking like they are getting pretty red. Are they squatting for you at all? Are they friendlier (less skittish) than when they were younger?

We have 6 breeds approx 36 weeks old. Just this week we got a first egg from a dark brown leghorn. The other two DBLs haven’t laid yet (definitely aren’t paying their rent!). the DBLs have been red (comb and wattles) for a long time. The other 5 breeds started to lay around 20-26 weeks old.

What does a hen look like when she's squatting?

They might be. I can pick them up without tremendous fuss, but they do spook if I try to pick them up and they flap if I try to hold them close.

I concur with most of what has been written. Those breeds would be expected to lay by about 20-24 week if reaching that age in spring or summer. If they reach that age between summer and winter solstice (declining day length), all bets are off.
The best indicator of the ability and maturity to lay eggs is the space between pelvic bones.
Red enlarge combs and wattles is a good indicator but I had an Orpington hen that laid well but had a small pale comb her whole life.
I have a hen now that has a huge bright red comb but she molted a couple months ago and hasn't laid since.
I don't put much stock into squatting as an indicator. Squatting is a desire to mate on the part of the hen, not that laying is imminent. After hundreds of layers, I haven't had a hen squat for me in years. (likely because roosters run with each flock)

How do I measure the space between those bones?