We have been there. You decide to get chickens for fresh eggs. You get baby chicks either from ordering them from a hatchery or buying from your local store. You raise your chicks in a brooder and then when they are old enough you move them into a coop. Now what? Soon they will start lay eggs right? Not exactly.
While some breeds can begin laying at 16 weeks, for most breeds it’s more like 20-24 weeks. Some breeds like silkies will take 28 weeks or longer. While you wait for eggs there are some important steps you need to take.
You need to make sure the pullets are getting an adequate diet. From the age of 6 weeks to when they produce their first egg your chicks will be doing a lot of growing. Make sure that you are feeding them grower feed. Some feed is a combination of starter/grower feed which will have 18% to 20% of protein which you will feed them from birth till egg laying.
Also make sure you have proper nesting boxes. One nesting box per 4 hens is usually enough, but having an extra one wouldn’t hurt, especially if you have a breed that’s a heavy layer. Fill the nesting box with pine shavings and maybe add a curtain for privacy and darkness. Adding a fake egg or golf balls helps the chicken know that this is a laying space.
So how do you know when it is time for egg laying? Here are some things to look for.
- Your chickens have all of their adult feathers. As your chicks age you will slowly see their feathers change texture and color. When that transformation is complete that’s when they will change from pullets to adult hens.
- Their combs and wattle have turned a bright red color.
- Looking for a place to nest. This will be a time when she will hopefully check out the nesting boxes but she may also look elsewhere. Make sure you check around the chicken coop and run for eggs.
- Even though it’s hard to see, a hen’s pelvis will widen to be able to lay eggs.
- Another sign and sometimes the most obvious, although not always present, is squatting. You may go to pet or catch your chicken and she all of the sudden squats down and slightly spreads her wings.
If you see some of these signs now is a good time to switch feed or offer in a separate container calcium. Two ways you can do that is by purchasing crushed oyster shells or crushing up egg shells. Follow this link to learn how. https://lilyofthehomestead.com/why-i-feed-my-chickens-egg-shells/
Now that your chicken is laying if you have not done so already now it is time to start feeding them “layer feed” and offering them calcium.
