Mck Chooks Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I've recently got two hens and im a complete chicken novice. i have a few questions that perhaps some of the omniscient chicken owner may perhaps be able to answer!! 1. When is a hen considered fully grown/ an adult? 2. Approximately how many grams of pellets per day does a chicken eta if free ranging? 3. Does a hen have to be a certain weight before they start laying or is it only reach a certain age? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I can only asnwer one of the questions...... Ours are about 23 ish weeks now and one of them is laying......She is now quite a bit bigger than the others (this happened over night, or it seemed to).......I think they say anything from 18 weeks onwards for them to start depending on the time of year etc etc..... Hope this helps a little, im sure more poeple will be along soon..... Welcome to the forum Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 A fully grown chicken eats about 120 grammes of pellets a day. They won't get much bigger after they start to lay, roughly 24 weeks. They start laying when they feel like it, they are female after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susiepoos Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Welcome to the site - I'm new as well but have found everyone to be so helpful and welcoming - ask anything and someone somewhere will be able to help you My understanding of chickens is that they are referred to as pullets up until the age of one so I assume after that they are referred to as adults. I'm quite naughty really as I don't measure there food out I just fill the feeder and let them eat what they want but they only free range for an hour or two a day depending when we can sit and watch them. Chickens don't have to be a certain weight it's all about how old they are. When we bought our girls we were told that 4 of them were between 12 and 14 weeks and 2 were 10 weeks that was on the 5th June - on the 29th June Cup and Tilly started to lay - the other 4 haven't laid yet but Lily and Beth are beginning to go redfaced and their combs are getting bigger by the day and that means that they are nearly ready. If I've got anything wrong someone will come along to correct me. Good luck with your chickens but be warned they are very addictive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
