Will chicks hatched in May start laying before winter?

[feathermaid]

I've been planning to get three chicks this spring but I wanted to build a new coop first and brood them outside. However, this coop-building thing is taking much longer than I anticipated and now I'm worried that when I'm finally ready for chicks they won't start laying before winter.

Two years ago, I got my first batch of 3 chicks on April 15. They were all laying by August 20 and laid all through winter and even most of the second winter. This is the first year they stopped and I really missed the eggs. If I got new chicks by next week and used my original girls' timeline as a guide, I would expect they could start laying by mid-September. But everything else I've read says that pullets are usually 6 months old at POL... and if they're not laying before winter, they won't start until spring no matter how old they are. Is that right?
Does anyone know what I can actually expect?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always get my chicks at the end of May. Most start laying between November and December, and lay through the winter at a decreased rate.

 

[RWise]

I find that my girls start firing off eggs at 4-8 months old, and with lights (13.5 hours) will lay all winter. Even pullets from the same hen and roo take the same time line,, good luck!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Depends on what you have. My brahmas and BJG didn't lay until February and were hatched in may of last year. But my SSH, LH, BR and EE... they all started between Nov (the SSH) and January and laid through the winter. The Hamburg was older than the brahmas by a week, but the others were all hatched end of May, June time frame.

 

[feathermaid]

I always get my chicks at the end of May. Most start laying between November and December, and lay through the winter at a decreased rate.

I find that my girls start firing off eggs at 4-8 months old, and with lights (13.5 hours) will lay all winter. Even pullets from the same hen and roo take the same time line,, good luck!

Depends on what you have. My brahmas and BJG didn't lay until February and were hatched in may of last year. But my SSH, LH, BR and EE... they all started between Nov (the SSH) and January and laid through the winter. The Hamburg was older than the brahmas by a week, but the others were all hatched end of May, June time frame.

Thanks for your replies everyone! I guess it just depends on breed and anywhere from 4 to 8 months is what to expect. That's a huge range!
Well, I just couldn't wait any longer and got three new littles on Friday, a Blue Wyandotte, a Buff Orp and an EE. My daughter immediately named them Blueberry, Muffin and Cookie respectively. They're 6 to 11 days old as of today so we'll just wait & see what happens.

 

[feathermaid]

May 11

May 24

July 7

August 26, Was hoping this would be egg time

October 19, Jewel is molting, Pullets still not laying!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine from May 23 haven't started yet either. I don't really expect anything until late November. That's about when I generally see my first eggs out of this year's pullets.

 

[feathermaid]

It is October going into November. Without supplemental light, pullets will have a delayed start to laying. Hens over a year old will usually stop or slow down laying

It often depends on the breed. Winter layers are more likely to have less of a delay.
There is hope that yours will start in two or three more weeks.


Are there any signs of egg laying? SQuatting, messing with the nest box or singing the egg song?

(So rather than hijacking that other thread, thought I'd just continue here)

My oldest original hen is molting and done laying now for the winter.
But these young buggers don't seem to be showing ANY signs of wanting to lay! They don't squat, more like hop and run away. And they have NO interest in the nest boxes or nesting material at all. Some loud squawking from my buff orp occasionally, but she's always just standing in the middle of the grass when she does that. They're all out in the yard most days and I've looked everywhere for a secret nest, but there's nothing.

My first batch of pullets 2 years ago were only 4 months old when they started laying, all within a week of each other. They were so considerate.

After re-reading the earlier responses here, I guess late bloomers are pretty normal.
I just didn't want to believe that these new ones would take that long.

 

[feathermaid]

Mine from May 23 haven't started yet either. I don't really expect anything until late November. That's about when I generally see my first eggs out of this year's pullets.

Thanks for confirming my fears!

I was starting to think these girls were broken, but laying late is better than never!!!
I'll just be waiting ever so patiently

 

[jess924]

I’m interested to hear when they do start laying. I have three older girls born May 4th and none have started yet..DB, BO, and SS...anticipation is killing me...hahaa