How old is a chook before it lays eggs

Log in. Product Search: go. Help Me! OR: Search by Category. See Also: Are fertilized eggs okay to eat? At what age does a rooster grow spurs? How much does it cost to feed a chicken? How much feed should I give my chickens each day? Is there any nutritional difference between white, brown, green and blue eggs? Do I need to give my hens oyster shell or supplemental calcium? When will my chickens begin laying again in the spring?

Why do my hens stop or almost stop laying in the late fall and winter months? Why your chickens are not laying eggs overview. Related Items:. Hens have been known to find some strange places to lay in! Compost bins, under bushes even on seldom used shelves! So, to answer the original question- broadly speaking the majority of breeds will start to lay around weeks. There is some evidence that hens that start to lay later, live longer and have more productive lives. Never, ever try to force your hens to lay sooner than they are designed for.

This will lead to all sorts of reproductive problems such as vent prolapse, which can make the hen prone to illness. It took six months for the first egg to appear! Another month went by and a second egg appeared! Naturally I assumed they were going to be poor, sporadic layers. Over the last two to three months the four little ladies have produced eggs daily.

Never assume that a hen goes immediately into full production mode. These are usually ceramic eggs that you can find in ag stores or online.

All you do is place them in the nesting box, and let the chickens do some investigating. Pullets that are not kept with older hens may take a little longer to lay, but if you show them the way, it can encourage them to start laying. It might be a tad strange, or even a little woo woo, but some swear by it. So it may be worth trying.

Ceramic eggs are also a great way to deter your chickens from egg eating. The breed of chicken you have will ultimately determine when she will lay- there is nothing to be done about that. As we have seen, other things can affect the health and development of the chick and can result in a delay in egg production.

It is up to us as keepers of the flock, to ensure we have done our part to maintain and promote the health of our flock. Most hens will start to lay at 20 weeks old, but some take longer- the key is Patience! And lots of it!

It can be hard waiting, especially not knowing when the first egg will come, but it is worth the wait. Do you have stories to share? How old were your chicks when they started to lay eggs? I bought them 2 days old on March 17 th.

They are golden sexlink. This is sure fun. This is so much helpful… Mine are 19th weeks now and have not yet started laying… I trust i have to be patient….

Hi my RIR Hen has just started laying two days in a row but now on third day nothing. Is this common? Do they usually lay same time of day? Hi Mona, Congratulations on your first fresh eggs! Yes this is perfectly normal- her laying will be sporadic when she first starts to lay.

Also, yes her lay time will stay very consistent. We have about 4 barred rock hens and 4 austrolorp hens, and 4 roosters. They are 6 months old now. No eggs. They are cooped with a pretty large run area. No health problems, everything is clean and well maintained, and I think she may get pushed around a bit by the other two but nothing drastic.

Not even any pecking going on. Is this normal and I just need to keep being patient with her? Maybe she is going to be a great layer and live to a ripe old age? Thanks for your advice!! Hi Colleen, 8 months is a long time, especially for a buff. Great info — Claire, thanks!! My Source tells me they should start laying in January. The average hen starts to lay eggs at weeks, but they can take up to 8 months to start laying. Day one - nothing as of yet. Day three - ok, seriously- where are all my fresh eggs!?

Sources and further reading. Related Articles An Animal Lovers Guide To Hemp Bedding by Backyard Chicken Coops January 08, Some animal lovers tend to underestimate the benefits of lining their coop, chicken run or pet enclosure with quality animal bedding, however, it is one of Often this Eggs Raising Baby Chicks. What are they? In layman's Breeds Eggs Kids Corner. Chicken keeping is quite addictive and once bitten Chicken Behavior Chickens Protecting the Flock.

Roosters are a contentious issue among backyard chicken keepers. On the one hand, these charming chaps can be a huge benefit in keeping your flock Chickens Health Nutrition.

To keep chickens happy, healthy and laying bounties of delicious eggs, they need to be fed a varied diet rich in protein and calcium- most Chicken Coops Chickens Eggs.