PixieDust Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 As a novice, I wondered at what age my hybrids should start laying? The Columbine, Bluebell and Sussex are all going quite red faced, but I don't know at what age they should be starting, approximately. They are 21 weeks ish. I think the Columbine may be older as the comb and wattles have been big since the beginning. Copper Maran Hybrid has virtually no comb and no wattles so isn't even in the running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 they can start at 18 weeks old under commercial conditions or a bit younger but under domestic conditions around 20 -23 weeks old in the spring /summer time but this time of year more like 26 weeks plus so in reality any time after Christmas for all but the Columbine mine was 26 weeks plus before she started to lay and that was late spring I'm still waiting for a 30 plus week old ( Easter hatched) Cream legbar to start laying but I've also got a 23 week old Cuckoo Maran cross that's reddening up by the day that I'm hoping will start to lay in 3 or 4 weeks plus a 23 week old legbar cross that's just starting to show a little colour so we'll have to see who gets eggs first should add that I don't prescribe to the it'll be spring before they start to lay camp having had pure breed and crosses start laying either side of Christmas before know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 Sorry sjp, missed this. Thank you for your info. Mine may be close to laying but I am not greatly fussed. They come when they come I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 If they are getting red faces you may not have too long to wait, perhaps a Christmas egg When I bought my last group of 4 hybrids most started to lay as expected but Latte didn't lay for weeks and weeks after the others started and I thought she would never lay but she did. She lived for a long time for a hybrid and laid regularly for most of her life. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 Yes my first egg was Thursday however the second was today and it was smashed up. I hope they don't start eating them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
