When willmy chicks start laying

[desides]

I have only only one hen and a rooster (me and my dad want more but my mom said no) and im wondering when they are going to start laying eggs so i can get the nesting box ready. my hen ( named Huhn after the german word for chicken) is 17 weeks and is a mixed breed. I got the eggs from a family friend who has 3 differnt breeds and i think she is all three but not sure. and when she does start will they be real small? will be able to eat them at first? im new at all the breeds but she is yellow on her head with a brown black and white spots on her back (shes so darn cute!)

 

[CarolJ]

She could start laying eggs anytime - it really varies. I have 6 who are 23 weeks and haven't started laying yet. Yes, you can eat the first eggs. At first the eggs will be smaller, but they'll get bigger as the hen gets older.

 

[Mahonri]

Most chickens begin laying between 20 weeks and 6 months of age.

So if you are lucky you'll be getting an egg or two in 4 weeks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, when she starts to lay, you can certainly eat them. She may lay a little egg the first day or two, but after that, she'll likely do very well.

Most hens do not start until they are 20 weeks old, so you probably have another month to wait. Take care of her, feed her well and she will give you 5 eggs a week, give or take. Actually, I hope you do get a few more hens. You might find your rooster needs to have a few more hens to take care of than just one. It's better to have 5 or 6 hens for him. But, you and your dad will have to work that out with mom.