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.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[BlueBaby]

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

Yes, you could start putting some oyster shell in a bowl or container on the side. They will eat what they feel that they need. Good luck with those egg's!

 

[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]

Yes, you could start putting some oyster shell in a bowl or container on the side. They will eat what they feel that they need. Good luck with those egg's!

Thank you, I will put some oyster shell out later in the morning and I will update when they start laying.

 

[BlueBaby]

Your welcome! What breed's do you have?

 

[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.

 

[BlueBaby]

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.

That's a big selection of breed's. Do you plan to hatch your own egg's later? I'm doing the Naked Neck's over here. They do better in the higher summer heat over here in the desert.

 

[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.