When will they lay???

[Micmac1234]

I’m a first time chicken owner and obviouslyyyy can’t wait for the main attraction - the EGGS! I have Wyandotte’s, Buff Rocks, and Whiting True Blues, all hatched between April 7th and 15th.

Are chickens always 6 months before they lay or do some lay sooner? I also haven’t moved their nesting boxes into their coop yet so I’ll need to make sure I do that before the eggs come.

 

[LizzzyJo]

I’m a first time chicken owner and obviouslyyyy can’t wait for the main attraction - the EGGS! I have Wyandotte’s, Buff Rocks, and Whiting True Blues, all hatched between April 7th and 15th.

Are chickens always 6 months before they lay or do some lay sooner? I also haven’t moved their nesting boxes into their coop yet so I’ll need to make sure I do that before the eggs come.

They might lay at 5 months! ... or maybe 7

It's like a watched pot - it's best to forget about it. Put in the boxes at 5 months and then try to forget that they lay eggs. Just do a cursory glance in the box each day and enjoy their little babyhoods while they have them

 

[rosemarythyme]

Plan on putting in your nest boxes a few weeks before they lay, so they have time to explore the boxes so they hopefully decide that's where they'll want to lay once they begin.

 

[Micmac1234]

They might lay at 5 months! ... or maybe 7

It's like a watched pot - it's best to forget about it. Put in the boxes at 5 months and then try to forget that they lay eggs. Just do a cursory glance in the box each day and enjoy their little babyhoods while they have them

Thank you!!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Chickens don't abide calendars. and even within breeds, there are wide individual variations, plus the influence of daily light levels, and the conditions in which they are kept. "Start of Lay" is more like a strong suggestion, with a broad range of typical. Usually, I'll offer a four week period of "probably" when opining. My Dark Brahma were right around 7 months (29 weeks +) when they started, even though it was winter and the daily light levels were pretty dang low (for us - but I'm closer to the equator than most of the United States). 28-32 weeks is the period I often give for them. I would not have been terribly surprised it they had held off longer.

I've not had any personal experience with the other breeds you mentioned - but your Brahma? After the winter solstice would not be surprising.

 

[Abetheroo]

Mine were 6 months. But it was also middle of winter. So I put ceramic eggs in their nesting boxes and started getting eggs within the week. I also did that to keep them from possibly trying to peck at and eat the eggs.

 

[JubileeFarmer]

One of mine started laying last week at just over 4 months. It's rare for a chicken to start laying that early but you might want to put the boxes in at 4 months rather than 5 months just in case.

 

[Micmac1234]

Plan on putting in your nest boxes a few weeks before they lay, so they have time to explore the boxes so they hopefully decide that's where they'll want to lay once they begin.

Thank you!

 

[Micmac1234]

One of mine started laying last week at just over 4 months. It's rare for a chicken to start laying that early but you might want to put the boxes in at 4 months rather than 5 months just in case.

Good to know!!! Thanks!

 

[Micmac1234]

Mine were 6 months. But it was also middle of winter. So I put ceramic eggs in their nesting boxes and started getting eggs within the week. I also did that to keep them from possibly trying to peck at and eat the eggs.

I’m in Colorado so we have lots of sunlight and long days right now! But the ceramic eggs are a good idea