Will pullets start laying or is it late in the season

[smfarman]

I have 8 pullets ( 20 to 25weeks old) that their crowns and waddles are turning red, but is it to late in the year for them to start laying?
I am still feeding them a 20% grower feed (available all the time) with alfalfa and black sunflower seeds as treats twice a week. Thank you for any advice and comments.

 

[smfarman]

Thank you, My oldest ones I have where day old chicks in May, so I hopeful

It's OK, just keep the amount down...can't tell ya exactly how much is 'OK'...but they are quite fatty.
With feeding a 20% feed, scratch grains would be another 'treat' to give...again in moderation.

I just finished the coop this past weekend, I have divided it in half to keep the younger pullets separated until they get bigger then I will remove the center wall just a few pics that's 6' X14' each side (16 on one side and 14 on the other side) I also have an area to store stuff and an area for injuried or broody, I am still working on the run

 

[smfarman]

I think at least a few of your pullets might start laying before the spring. I just started my flock in May. I didn't want to be disappointed, so I decided not to expect any eggs until the days started getting longer. However, at least 2 of my 13 pullets started laying Oct 22nd. Since then I think at least one more has started laying. We've collected 10 eggs in 5 days. It is so much fun to find them! I figure any eggs I get between now and spring is an unexpected bonus. Good luck, and be sure to let us know when they start laying.

Today I got my first egg, I am so eggcited

It's the bottom one, the top one is a store bought egg.

 

[feathermaid]

First year pullets for some reason, aren't really as sensitive to the days shortening as hens past their 1st or 2nd winter. Yours could start laying anytime, there's no rule when they start, it's apparently only when they feel like it. My pullets from last year (May hatch) didn't start laying until December and January but the last one held out until March. (she was 10 months old!)

If you plan to keep your cockerel, it would be best to skip layer feed entirely and go with Flock Raiser or All Flock instead. It's a complete feed appropriate for mixed genders and ages. Just be sure to offer oyster shell in a separate container for the girls... layers need a surprising amount of calcium to produce an egg.

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Thanks for this thread! Most of my pullets are just over 20 weeks old and I was wondering the same thing. Wattles and combs are starting to brighten and they have been checking out the nesting boxes for at least a month. My cockerel of the same age has also started mating with them, but no squatting from them yet.

I wondered if they’d wait til spring but I live on the Central Coast of California so our winters are very mild (it freezes from time to time but doesn’t snow) and hoped that wouldn’t be a deterrent for them.

 

[smfarman]

Your welcome! What breed's do you have?

I have in group 1 - Buff Orpingtons, Silver laced Wyandotte, gold laced wyandottes and leghorns; total of 8.
Group 2 - Plymouth barred rocks, black Australorps and black Jersey gaints; total of 8
Group 3 - white rocks, lavender Orphingtons and a barred rock; total of 6
Group 4 - slw, blrw, blue langshan and lavender Orphingtons; total of 8 and a total of 30, the groups are by age and group 1 is the oldest at 20 to 25 weeks old.

 

[smfarman]

Chicken math got me after I lost my first 12 chicks 8 wk olds to a two legged predator. Then friends and family started bringing me chicks, so I ended up these different breeds.
I would like to hatch eggs later.

 

[BlueBaby]

I don't see why your's won't. You live in the south like me, and I have a pullet that just started laying a couple of week's ago. Are they starting to squat for you yet? If they are getting close to lay, they will need to start having some calcium added to their diet.

 

[Angileen]

I have 8 pullets ( 20 to 25weeks old) that their crowns and waddles are turning red, but is it to late in the year for them to start laying?
I am still feeding them a 20% grower feed (available all the time) with alfalfa and black sunflower seeds as treats twice a week. Thank you for any advice and comments.

I live in northern Minnesota and have 29 pullets and 4 cockerels, they are 4 months 3 weeks old and 5 of my Pullets are laying. My Calico princess started laying at 3 1/2 months old, my Midnight Majesty Marans at 4 months old and one Easter Egger started 4 days ago. Here is a photo. I hope they get larger eggs when they are adults. The Marans are not that dark, I may order some Black Copper Marans some day.

 

[smfarman]

They do squat when I approach them, I was going to start oyster shell when they start laying and laying feed or should I start that now. Thank you