How soon after my hen laid their first eggs should I incubate them.

[Cavendish]

My hens just laid their first eggs, how long after their first egg will they be mature enough so that I can incubate their eggs.

 

[Weeg]

Do you have a rooster? If so, how long as your rooster been mating them?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

My hens just laid their first eggs, how long after their first egg will they be mature enough so that I can incubate their eggs.

Most people wait about a month to make sure the “egg factory” is working properly.

 

[MadamContrary]

I like to wait at least 6-8 weeks. They usually lay some double yolked eggs in the beginning and egg size is smaller than it will be in the future. Egg shell quality can also be an issue for new layers. Healthy babies come from the best eggs, I don't set pointy or extremely round eggs if it can be helped. Some birds will just lay a more unique shape and it is not a result of "working out the kinks" out of her system, and you won't know for sure for a little while.

 

[nuthatched]

If you don't have a rooster, you don't need to worry, most people wait a few months for the hen to come to size to lay nice sized eggs.

 

[Cavendish]

I have roosters, Thanks for the advice.

 

[Mai]

What is the earliest I can incubate an egg after the Hen lays that egg

 

[NatJ]

What is the earliest I can incubate an egg after the Hen lays that egg

After the hen lays the egg, you can put it in an incubator immediately if you want to (or under a broody hen.)

It is also fine to store the egg for up to a week, while you collect up a nice clutch. Then you can set all the eggs at once, and they will all hatch at the same time.

If you store eggs for more than a week after they are laid, up to 2 or 3 weeks, and then put them in an incubator, some will still hatch (but not as many as if you started incubating them sooner.)