When will they start laying?

[The4-AcreRanchette]

Our chickies are 12 weeks old, and we're wondering when they'll start laying. I heard about 20 weeks, but does it very from breed to breed? We have Rhode Island Reds, Easter-Eggers, Dominiques, and Barred Rocks. When should we introduce nesting boxes, and what do we use?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It varies from breed to breed. My RIR and BR started laying around the 5 month mark but my EE did not bless us with her eggs until 9 months old.

 

[MonicaWA]

I found the same thing as SunHwaKwon, my Appenzeller was the first to lay, then the Barred Rock, Wyandottes next and then at the very last, long after the two month younger Icelandics started laying, came the Easter Egger. I thought she would never lay! LOL

 

[MonicaWA]

I would put the nesting boxes in now, so they get used to them and check them out. You can even put a fake egg in one. I made mine from stacking plastic bins (cheap) and used washers and long screws to attach them.