4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Mandy C]

Hi, I have 2 girls that I got on 13th June at 10 weeks old, neither have layed yet. Please can someone advise when they are likely to.

[batcatz]

Hi, it will be around 22 weeks I believe.

[Space Chick]

They are only 26 weeks old now and pure breeds lay later. My earliest pure breed laid at 28 weeks

[TAJ]

As pure breeds it is probably a bit late in the season for them to start - my cream legbar was born in Jan and didn't start laying until mid-July.

 

Tracy

[bettyhen]

I have both,

the lavender arucana Juanita , was first at about 30 weeks, she lays about 2 days out of 3 at the moment.

The cream legbar Rosie started at about 32 weeks, she lays most days,

and our strange legbar Ninja (kind of miss pepperpot with huge floppy comb and tufty headress started laying last week at about 35 weeks.

My friend has an arucana and legbar from the same hatch as mine and they`re not laying yet Mind you her little arucana is very pretty whereas poor Juanita usually looks a bit fierce with a flat blacky red comb, wattles and hooked beak

She`s an `interesting` chicken to have around, very flighty though.

 

Sue x

[brambles]

Arrrrgghhhh!!!! I have a 15 week old Legbar and a Cochin. I'd expected my big girl to be later, but my legbar too? (et tu brute?!).

 

Those dazzling blue eggies ...

[Space Chick]

What also needs to be considered is that pure breeds tend to stop laying in the winter, so with the nights drawing in it could be that you will need to wait until Spring for eggs. Sorry

[brambles]

Yep, did fear so when I brought them. Wernlas said that we might get some eggs from the legbar through the winter. Never mind though, they are soooooo pretty!

[Redwing]

As far as I know any bird ending in 'bar' is not a traditional pure breed but is a breed that is decended from historically 'recent' cross breeding so maybe the rules of not laying over wnter dont apply as closely

[Jools]

Apart from strain (utility or exhibition), the main factor is actually when they were hatched rather than being a pure breed or hybrid. It's not a hard and fast rule and some pure breeds are better layers than others, but I wouldn't be surprised if your two started producing eggs fairly soon for you, and continued to lay over their first winter. If they do, make the most of it, because they're not likely to repeat it!

 

I try to hatch at the end of May / early June for a number of reasons. One is that egg fertility is generally good at that time, and there's plenty of daylight hours for chicks to eat and exercise well. Good weather helps too, there's nothing like a bit of sun of their backs to help with their healthy development. But my main reason is that any pullets hatched at that time usually come into lay in November/December and help me over that egg famine time. That's the plan anyway lol.

 

Some clues on whether they're coming into lay or not are the colour of their head gear, how vocal they are, any agitated or nesting behaviour, or, sometimes, crouching (as if readying for the cockerel to mount them). If you can get any photos, post them so we can hazard a guess for you!

[Jools]

Ooops, meant to say something about diet too. Layers pellets and only the very occasional treat will help too.

[brambles]

That's fascinating, Jools. My legbar is still very much a pale baby, but I can see signs that the cochin's comb is just starting to grow and go a little pink. A few weeks off though still.

[bellekatz]

None of my purebreeds that I got in June are laying yet either and there are 23-27 weeks now ( I think ) Sure they will get around to it eventually.............