Why Aren't My Chickens Laying? Here Are Your Answers!

[Rubyann Norwood]

How old does a chicken have to be when she starts laying eggs?

 

[speckledhen]

That varies by chicken breed and individual. Mostly, they don't start laying until after 18 weeks of age, but occasionally, one will start a week or so earlier than that, or can begin much, much later.

 

[lanie8]

I have one Red Chantacleer,and two Sliver Wyohdotes. how old will they be when they lay if there all hens??

 

[Cass]

Quote:

See the post above yours for the answer

 

[popdrop21]

Why arent my chicks laying.... there in there adult age but we purchesed them from a different farm and moved them into a new coop... does that affect them... if so how long will it take for them to lay

 

[speckledhen]

Anytime you move a hen to a new environment, she may quit laying until she adjusts. That can be a few days to a couple months. No way to say exactly how long for a particular hen. And it may depend on whether she was laying when you got her, or if she was already stopped for a molt or a broody spell or another reason.

 

[TeriyakiChicken]

or maybe it's not laying because its a rooster...

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I laughed when you posted that, but in truth, some unsuspecting buyers have been sold roosters by unscrupulous sellers. If you are not sure (and you probably are, if so, disregard), then you should post pics in the What Breed? area for members to tell you if you do indeed have hens or you were slipped a rooster.

 

[flocksalot]

Quote:
I laughed when you posted that, but in truth, some unsuspecting buyers have been sold roosters by unscrupulous sellers. If you are not sure (and you probably are, if so, disregard), then you should post pics in the What Breed? area for members to tell you if you do indeed have hens or you were slipped a rooster.

I laughed too! But the funny thing is that we almost culled one of our RIR last fall as we thought she was a roo. She liturally had her neck on the line when I decided to wait on her. She laid an egg the next day! It was tiny and almost perfectly round, but it was an egg nontheless, so she got to stay. My 7 year old son named her Isabella you looks like a fella. So at my age (older than dirt according to my older son who is 28) and having had chickens all my life even I can get confused. It's no shame to have the wool pulled over your eyes by a chicken. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be very confusing sometimes. Personally I think they just plot to mess with me the little peckers.

 

[rngrbill]

Quote:
I laughed when you posted that, but in truth, some unsuspecting buyers have been sold roosters by unscrupulous sellers. If you are not sure (and you probably are, if so, disregard), then you should post pics in the What Breed? area for members to tell you if you do indeed have hens or you were slipped a rooster.

Many years ago, at the end of the season, my wife's cousin offered us a half dozen/8 hens to go to freezer camp, as another poster put it. I told him to make sure all hens because we are inner city and no roos. Next morning one of the "girls" crowd 'her" way into the stew pot, next morning same thing, If any more roos they wisphered their morning call till the end of the week when the camp bus arrived.

To give cousin B his due, he did collect them after dark. visit his site http://www.friendlyfarm.com/ it is an Educational farm.