White leghorn 18 weeks..Guess How Much Longer! Pic +

[Obyli]

I got my white leghorn 4 months ago and she has no sign of egg laying yet. Can someone post a picture of their leghorn when they first started laying? Her comb and wattle are growing bigger and face getting a little red. But she doesn't seem ready to lay in these couple weeks. She is LATE! I heard from u guys leghorn lay 15 weeks and most lay at 16 weeks. Also i am feeding her the 16% protein layer feed. What should i feed her? I also give them yogurt and butterflies.

Anyone can guess how many more weeks i need to wait? No squating yet. My guess are atleast 2 weeks.

 

[wnthunting]

this is an 18 week old leghorn that has been laying for a few weeks

 

[jerseygirl1]

When she starts laying, look out - HUGE white eggs every day for two years...............Minte were not 16, they were closer to 20-22 weeks old

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Mine started with 1, next day 2, 3rd day..yup 3. I figure today might be 4 and that puts the 4 girls in production.

Love Legorns, be patient it will come! The 1st one to lay looks like the pic posted, the others started getting red almost immediatley but arent as large in the comb and waddle department yet.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

The egg industry purposefully retards the onset of egg production in commercial strains of Leghorns so that they do not start laying until at least 18 weeks of age. This is done, mostly, with the control of light.

It has been found that pullets that are allowed to come into production to early have many negative factors associated with it. The bird produces many more unwanted small size eggs and thus fewer, more profitable, large eggs in her lifetime. Further she is more prone to develop egg laying disorders later in life. Hens that are mismanaged and allowed to lay very early are also more prone to osteoporosis, lesser egg shell quality and moulting difficulties.

These birds are bred for maximum production. The ability to produce at an earlier age comes with that breeding so the problems associated with early production are overcome with proper management.

 

[urbancountrygal]

Mine is 19wks and hasn't started laying yet.

 

[Obyli]

I guess it's not that great laying early at all. I ll wait patiently hopefully. I ll try to post a pic of my leghorn hen today so you guys can judge how much longer and the maturity level.

 

[kera!]

My leghorn started laying at 21 weeks and she is doing great that was 2 weeks ago and her eggs are starting get bigger, be patient, they will start laying when she is ready....

 

[savingpurple]

I had to rehome my only leghorn, bought her March 18th at a few days old, and her first egg was on July 7th. So what about 16 weeks? The others took awhile more to start, but all mine are now laying at 23 weeks. The last 2 started yesterday!

 

[EricH]

combs getting big, should be anytime now. it'll happen when it happens. all chickens are different...