When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? Complete Guide

Today I’m gonna answer the crazy question of when two chickens start laying eggs. Let’s go!

Welcome to ChickenLearn.com.

🐓 Why Is This Question So Confusing?

Lots and lots of people ask me, when will my chickens start laying eggs?
That question seems like such a mystery because you’ll get so many different answers from different people.

Some people will say, my chickens started laying eggs at four months old. Others will say, my chickens started laying at six months old. And still, others will say, oh my chickens are eight months old and they’re still not laying eggs.

That’s all completely normal. What makes it seem so confusing is the huge range in ages when chickens begin laying eggs — and that’s because of breeds.

🐥 Breed Differences in Egg Laying

Some breeds are purebred chickens (sometimes called heritage chickens). These tend to take a little longer to start laying eggs.

Then there are mixed breed chickens — some people call them hybrid chickens, though they’re not truly hybrids. We’ll just call them mixed breeds or mutts. These usually start laying eggs earlier.

Of course, there’s also a difference in each individual chicken, just like with anything else in the world.

🥦 Focus on Care, Not the Calendar

I always tell people: just concentrate on taking really good care of them and feed them well.

They will start laying eggs when they start laying eggs — there’s no way to rush it.

When it’s gonna happen, it’ll happen. There’s nothing you can do to make it happen faster. So don’t worry about that part.

I know everyone’s excited and anxious for their chickens to start laying eggs. It’s a big deal when it happens! I get pictures of first eggs all the time, which warms my heart.

🏡 Creating the Perfect Environment

Make sure they’re fed well, have a nest box, and your hen house is clean and cozy — like a little chicken palace.

Your chicken run should be partially in the shade and partially in the sun so they have both comfort and warmth.

When those eggs start coming, it’ll be awesome and everything will go well.

⏳ How Long Until Good Egg Production?

For good steady egg production, 10 to 12 months is a perfectly reasonable timeframe.

Don’t panic if it’s ten months or even the next spring before they start. Sometimes, they’re almost a year old when they begin — and that’s totally fine.

🥚 Funny Eggs at the Beginning

When they first start, it’s not unusual to get odd-shaped eggs.
Sometimes they’re tiny, sometimes soft-shelled, or they may have little bumps.

This is completely normal. It just takes time for their egg factory to work properly.

If you get odd eggs, just throw them away or feed them to the dogs. Don’t stress about it — just keep feeding them well.

🐓 Feeding for Better Egg Production

I’ve written an article on what to feed your chickens so they lay a lot of eggs — maybe watch that and add those foods to their diet.

Don’t forget:

• Grit
• Ground-up oyster shells for calcium

Calcium is super important for chickens — it helps muscles push the eggs out and forms the shells.

If you want to learn all about chickens and how to care for them, you can just bookmark this website.

Thanks for Reading — see you next time! Bye-bye!