What age do chickens begin to lay?

[Carol Dee]

My youngest son got 12 barred rocks in April (or May?) There are 10 left. Gnats smothered 2. When can he expect them to start laying. Will he need to provide nest boxes?

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

for barred rocks i've heard they can lay as early as 4 months. but a good time would be by 6 months of age for most breeds. he should get a couple nest boxes but most pullets will first start laying any where they can find till they get used to the feeling of an egg coming and predict it better, then they start to realize what those nest boxes are for. just watch the pullets for any erratic behavior like they are searching for something they just can't seem to find. also if they are squatting when you get near to touch them it is an early sign they are getting close to laying age. they also view you as dominant sort of like the rooster of the flock.

oh, eta, you don't need many boxes. most will try to lay in the same box as others have been using.

 

[Carol Dee]

@Chickie'sMomaInNH Thanks for the information. I will pass it along.

 

[baymule]

Their combs will go from pinkish to bright red as the hormones start to flow. Make sure they don't roost in the nest boxes at night and keep them a supply of oyster shell for strong egg shells. Bear in mind that is an egg cracks, they will eat it.

For future reference on the gnats, spray at night when they are on the roost (because they are still and quiet) with vanilla. It will keep the gnats off.

 

[Carol Dee]

Their combs will go from pinkish to bright red as the hormones start to flow. Make sure they don't roost in the nest boxes at night and keep them a supply of oyster shell for strong egg shells. Bear in mind that is an egg cracks, they will eat it.

For future reference on the gnats, spray at night when they are on the roost (because they are still and quiet) with vanilla. It will keep the gnats off.

Thanks Bay , Son figured out the vanilla spray the day he lost the two. I noticed the combs where getting really red last weekend. I will tell him about the oyster shell and to get a box or two in there soon.

 

[thistlebloom]

For 10 hens I'd go for at least 4 nest boxes. Mine is a 4' long insulated box built onto the exterior of the coop with a single divider and a hinged lid. When 4 or 5 hens go broody at once it makes the other hens lay their eggs in strange places.

Hopefully your son won't have psycho hens like mine that don't lay eggs, just try to hatch imaginary ones.

 

[Carol Dee]

For 10 hens I'd go for at least 4 nest boxes. Mine is a 4' long insulated box built onto the exterior of the coop with a single divider and a hinged lid. When 4 or 5 hens go broody at once it makes the other hens lay their eggs in strange places.

Hopefully your son won't have psycho hens like mine that don't lay eggs, just try to hatch imaginary ones.

His set up is really small. I don't think he will do anything fancy. But I will suggest he get some boxes in there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve had pullets start to lay at 16 weeks, some that started at 9 months. They were not barred rocks but were similar breeds. Most of mine seem to start at around 5 to 6 months but they are all different.

How many nests he needs depends some on how big he makes them. It’s not that unusual for me to see two or even three hens in the same nest at the same time. My nests are 16” x 16” so they have room without one laying on top of another. Many people make them 12” square and there is just not a lot of room for two or three hens in those.

Another reason I like larger nests is that when a broody hatches chicks, the early chicks will often climb up on top of Mama. If she is in a small nest and sitting near the edge, when that chick falls off it might totally fall out of the nest. I had that happen in a smaller nest made out of a cat litter bucket. I’ve never had one fall out of my larger nests.

The reason I made mine 16” was that that was the spacing for the studs and that made the framing easy. I’m glad I made them that size.

I agree with Thistle. It’s better to have an extra than try to cut it too close. It’s not just broodies. I had one a few years back that was a nest hog. It took her three hours on the nest to lay an egg and she would not let any other hen in the nest with her while she was in there.

 

[Carol Dee]

As far as we can tell he has all hens. Without a rooster will they go broody? If they do there will be no little chicks anyway.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They may go broody whether there is a rooster around or not. Makes no difference.