Will pullets start laying or is it late in the season

[Skippersnh]

Mine layed through the first winter and I was in Montana

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ok...we are in freezing NW PA. No change in color for my 14 weepers. No sign of even flirting....I don’t even have nesting boxes made for them..because we were going to transfer them with the big chickens...should we keep them separate because we have 1 rooster there..who’s days are numbered..and 5 cockerels which we wanted to pick the best? The timing of this thread is great

Get those nest boxes done. If they don't have any when they start laying, it can start bad habits.

 

[feathermaid]

Ok,but, I read for our breed, it takes 6 mths..we are super busy building our 3rd barn for our rabbits,ducks,pot belly pigs and goats....just got electric and water yesterday..so..will they lay without nesting boxes, or do I need to tell Chris to stop what he’s doing to make nesting boxes for two hens?

There's really no set time when they'll start laying. My first batch of LF breeds (buff orp, barred rock and EE) all started laying at about 4 months. I was diligent in closing the boxes at night so nobody slept and pooped in there, but removed the blockade after bedtime so they were open first thing in the morning -just in case. I caught them quite frequently visiting the boxes during the day and rearranging the fluff and fake eggs... instincts were telling them something about this was important.

You don't need to stop everything and build the complete nest boxes, you can use temporary substitutes, like 5 gallon buckets or plastic totes on their side, milk crates, wood crates, large baskets, a covered cat litter box etc. Just set them on the ground where you plan to build the final ones, and fill with excelsior nesting pads or a thick layer of hay or straw with some fake eggs or golf balls to encourage them. Some people keep a variety of different style boxes at different heights because not all birds prefer the same kind.

If you don't have nest boxes available, they will find somewhere else to lay when they're ready and you might not get them to actually use the boxes later on. If they free range, you might not even find the eggs.

 

[Matzwd]

This is getting me excited that I might see eggs by Thanksgiving or Christmas! My 2 Buffs and 2 Ameraucana's are 18 weeks. 1st time chickie-mom. If coaching, sweet talk and attention helps they should lay any day now.

I hope you have better luck with your Ameraucanas than I have so far. I have two that are 30 weeks old today and still haven't laid. They are some the last to lay (along with a polish and one SLW) of the 18 girls I got at the beginning of April as day-old chicks. Their combs are just now starting to redden, and temps are going to dip below freezing tonight in Missouri. I've wondered if they'll wait until spring.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

There's really no set time when they'll start laying. My first batch of LF breeds (buff orp, barred rock and EE) all started laying at about 4 months. I was diligent in closing the boxes at night so nobody slept and pooped in there, but removed the blockade after bedtime so they were open first thing in the morning -just in case. I caught them quite frequently visiting the boxes during the day and rearranging the fluff and fake eggs... instincts were telling them something about this was important.

You don't need to stop everything and build the complete nest boxes, you can use temporary substitutes, like 5 gallon buckets or plastic totes on their side, milk crates, wood crates, large baskets, a covered cat litter box etc. Just set them on the ground where you plan to build the final ones, and fill with excelsior nesting pads or a thick layer of hay or straw with some fake eggs or golf balls to encourage them. Some people keep a variety of different style boxes at different heights because not all birds prefer the same kind.

If you don't have nest boxes available, they will find somewhere else to lay when they're ready and you might not get them to actually use the boxes later on. If they free range, you might not even find the eggs.

Ok.. I have a ton of small bunny boxes..could those work?

 

[feathermaid]

Ok.. I have a ton of small bunny boxes..could those work?

Not sure what those look like, but if they're big enough to fit a full chicken so she can turn around and stand up as she drops the egg, then yes.

 

[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.

 

[aart]

Today I got my first egg, I am so eggcited

Well, that answers that question!!
Congrats!

 

[smfarman]

Today I got my first egg, I am so eggcited
View attachment 1949506
It's the bottom one, the top one is a store bought egg.

Thank you aart, I guess it does, the egg is off white or tinted would that be from a wyandotte?

 

[aart]

Thank you aart, I guess it does, the egg is off white or tinted would that be from a wyandotte?

As far as I know, Wyandottes lay light brownish eggs.