Your guesses as to what may be wrong with the chickens?

[Mattl12]

You had pullets laying at 13 and 14 weeks old?

YES Gold Sex Links 3 of the 4 of them are virtually machines and the fourth is as consistent as my Austrolorps.

 

[dawg53]

A 236 full grown is 4.5 lbs. There isn't much meat there.

That's why I said "stew."

 

[Eggcessive]

I wasn’t aware that pullets could lay before 16 weeks, and usually 20 weeks in other breeds. I have never heard of laying by 13 weeks. Most everything I have read is after 16 weeks.
https://www.nutrenaworld.com/blog/when-pullets-start-to-lay-eggs

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

These birds are primarily white leghorn, they should be churning year round. MY GSLs are laying 5-6 per every week.

I've had several groups of white leghorns spaced years apart, and every year they go though hard molts and quit laying from about November through February. Then they resume laying eggs 5-6 days per week again. The only "breed" I've ever had that begins laying at 20-21 weeks and lays daily no matter the time of year are red-sexlink varieties, specifically ISA Browns and gold sexlinks. If you only want pullets/hens that lay daily no matter what, red sexlinks are your best bet. They are definitely laying machines.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

To clarify, the white leghorns I've had resume laying 5-6 eggs weekly after first molt. For 9 months out of the year, white leghorns are also laying machines. During their first year of laying, you can expect 6-7 eggs weekly. But with the days growing shorter, I will be surprised if they begin laying before January/Febrrary.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've had several groups of white leghorns spaced years apart, and every year they go though hard molts and quit laying from about November through February. Then they resume laying eggs 5-6 days per week again. The only "breed" I've ever had that begins laying at 20-21 weeks and lays daily no matter the time of year are red-sexlink varieties, specifically ISA Browns and gold sexlinks. If you only want pullets/hens that lay daily no matter what, red sexlinks are your best bet. They are definitely laying machines.

Agreed. Until they get reproductive disorders and die miserable deaths at about 2 years. But I digress...

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Agreed. Until they get reproductive disorders and die miserable deaths at about 2 years. But I digress...

Yeah, I didn't mention that part. The red sexlinks I've had almost always make it to age 3 laying daily, as do the white leghorns. But that's still dying young compared to other breeds.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yeah, I didn't mention that part. The red sexlinks I've had almost always make it to age 3 laying daily, as do the white leghorns. But that's still dying young compared to other breeds.

My CCL who is an early April baby just laid her first egg today.

 

[Mattl12]

I've had several groups of white leghorns spaced years apart, and every year they go though hard molts and quit laying from about November through February. Then they resume laying eggs 5-6 days per week again. The only "breed" I've ever had that begins laying at 20-21 weeks and lays daily no matter the time of year are red-sexlink varieties, specifically ISA Browns and gold sexlinks. If you only want pullets/hens that lay daily no matter what, red sexlinks are your best bet. They are definitely laying machines.

The part your not told when you buy "Ideals" rather than Leghorns is that ANCONAS LAY LITERALLY HALF of what leghorns do. I think my two got A disproportionate amount of Ancona DNA. These 2 birds are 8 months old and are not milting yet. Like I said I'm not certain 1 has actually laid yet. The larger dropped maybe 2 dozen eggs and then got fowl pox, she has laid exactly 2 eggs since. I only have 2 white egglayers so it's obvious who is not producing.

 

[Mattl12]

I wasn’t aware that pullets could lay before 16 weeks, and usually 20 weeks in other breeds. I have never heard of laying by 13 weeks. Most everything I have read is after 16 weeks.
https://www.nutrenaworld.com/blog/when-pullets-start-to-lay-eggs

GSLs and RSLs heavily frontload egg production, IIRC it is odd they survive to 3 years old. Their metabolism essentially cooks them and something usually reproductive related kills them. IME seems like my GSLs consume more water than the other birds too. Isa Browns and White Leghorns can somewhat commonly lay before 16 weeks too.