Plan my flock

When do chickens start laying?

Most pullets lay their first egg at about 20 weeks. Enter the hatch date and breed to see your window.

Your pullets

Short days slow everything down: pullets that come of age in late fall may not lay until spring unless the coop gets 14–16 hours of light.

First egg expected

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Pick a hatch date to see the window.

—weeks old today
—weeks to go
—switch to layer feed

The rules behind the numbers

18–22 weeksFirst egg, hybridsKansas State University Research and Extension · Oregon State University Extension / PNW · Utah State University Extension +1 more
20–26 weeksFirst egg, heritage breedsKansas State University Research and Extension · Alabama Cooperative Extension System · University of Maine Cooperative Extension +1 more
30–35 weeksPeak laying ageOregon State University Extension / PNW · UF/IFAS Extension · Purina Animal Nutrition
14–16 hoursDaylight for steady layingPenn State Extension · University of Maine Cooperative Extension · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension +6 more
8–12 weeksFall molt (few or no eggs)University of Delaware CANR · Penn State Extension · Poultry Extension +2 more

Questions

When do chickens start laying eggs?

Most pullets lay their first egg at about 20 weeks old. High-production hybrids often start at 18–22 weeks; heritage and heavy breeds at 20–26 weeks. Breeds like Silkies and Brahmas can take longer.

Why hasn’t my pullet started laying?

Age is the usual reason, but day length matters too: hens need 14–16 hours of light to lay well, so pullets that reach laying age in fall or winter may wait until days lengthen. Stress, moving house and poor feed can also delay the first egg.

What are the signs a hen is about to lay?

Her comb and wattles grow and turn bright red, she starts exploring nest boxes, and she may squat when you reach for her. Switch to layer feed at about 18 weeks or at the first egg, whichever comes first, and offer oyster shell on the side.

When do hens lay the most eggs?

Laying peaks at about 30–35 weeks of age, when good layers lay on about 90% of days, and stays strong for about two years before slowly tapering.

Sources

  1. 1Successfully Raising a Small Flock of Laying ChickensPenn State Extension (P. Clauer; updated 2016-04-22)
  2. 2Managing Chickens From Chicks to Peak Egg ProductionUtah State University Extension (J. Okoh, E. Perry; October 2025)
  3. 3Want to raise backyard chickens for eggs? 5 things to know firstColorado State University SOURCE (J. DeLoss quoting CSU Extension specialists; 2025-04-10)
  4. 4Management Requirements for Laying FlocksPenn State Extension (P. Clauer; updated 2016-05-17)
  5. 5Why did my chickens stop laying? (PNW 565)Oregon State University Extension / PNW (J. Hermes; 2003, reviewed 2023)
  6. 6Eggs or Meat...Does the same chicken produce both?University of Delaware CANR (G. Cartanza; 2023-03-28)
  7. 7Feeding Chickens for Egg Production in Small and Backyard FlocksPoultry Extension (J. Jacob, University of Kentucky)
  8. 8Management of the Small Flock of Chickens (MF-2390)Kansas State University Research and Extension (R. S. Beyer; May 1999)
  9. 9Backyard & Small Poultry Flock Management Series: Feeding the Laying Hen (ANR-2913)Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Pacheco, Gulizia, Downs; Aug 2022)
  10. 10Maine Poultry Facts: Lighting For Small-Scale Flocks (Bulletin #2227)University of Maine Cooperative Extension (Hawes; updated Brzozowski, Coffin, Knight; 2009, 2021)
  11. 11Lighting Schedules for Arizona Backyard Laying Flocks (az2185)University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (A. Wright; Jan 2026)
  12. 12Artificial Lighting for Winter Egg ProductionPenn State Extension (A. Bigge; updated 2025-09-09)
  13. 13Small-scale Poultry Housing (2902-1092)Virginia Cooperative Extension (L. Jacobs, P. Clauer; 2023-04-28)
  14. 14Factors Affecting Egg Production in Backyard Chicken Flocks (PS-35)UF/IFAS Extension (Jacob, Wilson, Miles, Butcher, Mather; rev. 2017, reviewed 03/2025)
  15. 15Chicken housing (housing requirements)University of Maryland Extension (J. Moyle; updated 2022-05-11; space table cites Clauer 2009)
  16. 16Egg goals for your backyard chickens: How egg production is affected by age (poster)Purina Animal Nutrition (2023)
  17. 17Blue Ameraucana Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  18. 18Ameraucana (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  19. 19Black Australorp Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  20. 20Ayam Cemani Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  21. 21Ayam Cemani (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  22. 22Silver Doubled Laced Barnevelder Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  23. 23Barnevelder (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  24. 24Barred Plymouth Rock Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  25. 25Black Sex Link Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  26. 26Light Brahma Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  27. 27Brahma (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  28. 28Buckeye Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  29. 29Buff Orpington Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  30. 30Orpington (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  31. 31Partridge Cochin Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  32. 32Cream Legbar Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  33. 33Legbar (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  34. 34Delaware Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  35. 35Dominique Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  36. 36Dominique (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  37. 37Easter Egger Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  38. 38Salmon Faverolles Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  39. 39Faverolles (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  40. 40Golden Buff Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  41. 41Hamburg Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
  42. 42Black Jersey Giant Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  43. 43Jersey Giant (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  44. 44Leghorn White (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  45. 45Black Copper Marans Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  46. 46Marans (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  47. 47Olive Egger Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  48. 48Olive Egger My Pet Chicken (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  49. 49Lavender Orpington Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  50. 50White Crested Black Polish Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  51. 51Rhode Island Red Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  52. 52Rhode Island Red Chicken (breed facts)The Livestock Conservancy
  53. 53Rhode Island (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  54. 54Serama Chickens: Good Things in Small PackagesBackyard Poultry Magazine
  55. 55Serama (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  56. 56Silkie Bantam (breed page)My Pet Chicken
  57. 57Speckled Sussex Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  58. 58Welsummer Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery
  59. 59Silver Laced Wyandotte Day Old Chicks (product/breed profile)Meyer Hatchery

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