When do chickens start laying eggs? For many backyard pullets, the first egg arrives somewhere around 18 to 22 weeks of age. Some fast-maturing lines start a little earlier, while heavier heritage breeds and pullets maturing during short winter days may take longer.
That age range is a guide, not a deadline. Breed and strain matter, but so do body development, nutrition, season, daylight, health, and stress. Two pullets hatched on the same day can start laying weeks apart and both be normal.
You also do not need a rooster for eggs. A healthy mature hen can lay unfertilized eggs on her own. A rooster is only needed if you want fertile eggs for hatching.
What Age Do Chickens Usually Start Laying?
University of Maryland Extension gives about 18 to 22 weeks as a usual starting range and notes that lighter breeds generally mature faster than heavier breeds. University of Minnesota Extension likewise describes pullets beginning lay at roughly 20 weeks in a typical layer program.
That fits what many backyard keepers see, but chickens are not clocks. An early production hybrid may surprise you with a first egg before 18 weeks. A slower-growing heritage pullet may still be developing well after another flock mate has started.
| Age | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| Before 16 weeks | Unusually early for most backyard chickens; do not try to encourage earlier maturity. |
| 16–18 weeks | Some early-maturing commercial or light-bodied strains may begin. |
| 18–22 weeks | A common first-egg window for many laying-type pullets. |
| 22–28 weeks | Still normal for many slower-growing, heavier, heritage, or seasonally delayed pullets. |
| Beyond 28 weeks | Can still be normal in some breeds, but it is worth reviewing breed, sex, body condition, season, diet, hidden nests, and health. |
If you bought a specific breed or commercial hybrid, breeder or hatchery information can be more useful than a generic internet age because selection for early maturity varies between lines.
Why One Pullet Starts Before Another
The first egg is the end result of physical and reproductive development. Calendar age is only one part of that process.
Breed and Genetics
Commercial egg strains have been selected heavily for efficient, relatively early production. Many traditional dual-purpose and heritage breeds mature more slowly.
Even within one named breed, breeder selection can shift maturity. A line maintained primarily for exhibition may not perform exactly like a line selected for farm egg production.
Body Development
Penn State Extension emphasizes that pullets should be sufficiently developed in body size and organ development before they are stimulated into production. Body weight and overall condition are more meaningful than trying to make every bird reach lay on a fixed date.
A pullet that has been sick, underfed, heavily parasitized, or repeatedly stressed may mature later because her body has had other priorities.
Season and Day Length
Day length influences the reproductive system. A spring-hatched pullet growing into long summer days may mature differently from a late-summer pullet reaching expected laying age while days are shortening.
This is one reason a healthy pullet can appear “late” in fall or winter without anything being wrong.
Nutrition
Growing pullets need a complete ration intended for their stage of development. Replacing much of that feed with scratch grain, kitchen scraps, seeds, or treats can slow growth or leave important nutrients short.
For a full feeding timeline, see our feeding chickens guide.
Signs a Pullet May Be Getting Close to Her First Egg
There are useful signs, but none is a guaranteed countdown. It is better to look for several maturity changes together than rely on a “10 sure signs” checklist.
1. The Comb and Wattles Become Larger and Redder
Young pullets often have small, pale combs. As sexual maturity approaches, the comb and wattles may become fuller and noticeably redder because reproductive hormones change blood flow and tissue development.
The amount of change depends on the breed. A rose-combed Dominique will not look like a large-combed Leghorn, so compare the pullet with other birds of the same type rather than using one universal picture.
2. She Starts Investigating Nest Boxes
A pullet may begin stepping into nest boxes, scratching at the bedding, sitting briefly, or moving between possible nesting places before she lays.
Not every pullet does this in an obvious way. Some seem uninterested until the day an egg appears.
Make the boxes available before the first egg. Our nest-box guide covers placement and setup.
3. She May Squat When You Approach
Some pullets begin a submissive or mating squat as they become sexually mature. They lower the body, flatten the back slightly, and may hold the wings away from the sides when approached or touched.
This can be a useful maturity clue even when there is no rooster in the flock. It does not tell you that an egg will arrive in exactly one week.
4. The Pelvis and Abdomen Change
As a pullet moves toward production, the pelvic bones gradually separate and the abdomen becomes more capable of accommodating the reproductive tract and passing an egg.
Penn State uses pelvic spacing and abdominal condition as management indicators during the transition to lay. For a backyard beginner, though, “two fingers means she will lay tomorrow” is too precise. Breed size and the handler’s fingers make that kind of rule unreliable.
If you check pelvic spacing, handle the bird gently and use the change over time rather than one measurement as the useful information.
5. The Vent May Look Larger and More Moist
Active layers generally have a larger, softer, more moist vent than immature pullets. This is another traditional field clue that becomes more useful when combined with comb color, body development, and pelvic changes.
Do not repeatedly restrain a nervous bird just to inspect her. If she is healthy and developing normally, patience is usually more useful than daily examinations.
6. Her Behavior Around the Coop May Change
Some pullets become more vocal, restless, or interested in quiet corners as laying approaches. Others show almost no obvious behavioral change.
The familiar “egg song” is often heard around laying, but it is not a reliable first-egg predictor. Birds vocalize for many reasons.
Do Not Try to Force a Pullet to Lay Earlier
Earlier is not always better.
Penn State’s current pullet guidance stresses that birds should have enough body and organ development before light stimulation. Pushing an immature pullet into reproductive production before she is physically ready is not a backyard goal worth chasing.
Give the bird good nutrition, appropriate housing, normal light, and time to mature. The first egg should be the result of healthy development, not a race against another flock’s hatch date.
Should You Add Coop Lights to Make Pullets Start Laying?
Supplemental light can be used to maintain production in mature laying hens during short-day seasons, but that is different from using light to push immature pullets into early lay.
A national Cooperative Extension poultry resource notes that mature hens are often managed with about 14 hours of total daily light when year-round production is desired. The same resource also explains that day length affects reproductive activity.
For pullets, maturity comes first. If you are considering a supplemental-light program, follow breeder or Extension guidance for that type of bird and use a timer so the schedule is consistent. Birds should still receive a normal dark period for rest.
There is no need to give a healthy backyard pullet 16 hours of light merely because she reached a certain birthday without laying.
When Should You Switch Pullets to Layer Feed?
Do not switch every pullet to layer feed at exactly 16 weeks.
Feeding programs differ by product and strain. University of Minnesota recommends starter feed early, then a grower or developer ration, with layer feed beginning when pullets start laying at about 20 weeks in its example program.
The most practical backyard rule is to follow the feed manufacturer’s directions and transition around the appropriate pre-lay or onset-of-lay stage for your birds. Layer feed contains substantially more calcium because actively laying hens need it for shell formation.
Starting high-calcium layer feed too early simply because a calendar says “16 weeks” is unnecessary for an immature pullet.
Once hens are laying, many keepers also provide oyster shell separately as an additional calcium source.
Do Hens Need a Rooster to Start Laying?
No. A rooster has no role in making a mature hen produce an ordinary table egg.
The ovary releases yolks as part of the hen’s reproductive cycle whether a rooster is present or not. If mating occurs, sperm may fertilize an ovum and the resulting egg can potentially develop into a chick under proper incubation. Without mating, the egg is simply unfertilized.
If this is new to you, our guide Do Hens Need a Rooster to Lay Eggs? explains fertilized vs. unfertilized eggs in detail.
What Will the First Eggs Look Like?
First eggs are often smaller than the eggs a hen will lay after her reproductive system settles into a regular rhythm. They are sometimes called pullet eggs.
There is no universal 35-gram first-egg weight. Breed and individual bird make a large difference.
Young layers can also produce an occasional odd egg: an unusually small egg, a shell with a wrinkle, a soft or thin shell, an extra-large double-yolk egg, or a tiny yolkless egg. One strange first egg from an otherwise healthy pullet is usually something to monitor rather than panic over.
What if the First Egg Has a Soft Shell?
An occasional soft or shell-less egg can occur in a young layer while the reproductive system is establishing a consistent cycle.
Repeated soft shells are different. Calcium intake matters, but so do vitamin D, phosphorus balance, heat stress, age, disease, shell-gland function, and the rest of the diet.
Do not keep adding calcium to every odd egg without reviewing the whole situation. If soft eggs continue, see our soft-shelled egg guide.
Are Double-Yolk Eggs Normal in Young Hens?
They can be. Young hens sometimes release two yolks close together before the ovulation rhythm becomes consistent, and both can become enclosed in one egg.
Double yolks are not proof that the hen is unhealthy, and they do not mean she will keep laying them. They are simply more common around periods when reproductive timing is irregular.
How Often Will a New Hen Lay?
Do not expect a perfect daily egg immediately after the first one.
A national Cooperative Extension resource explains that it takes roughly 24 to 26 hours for a hen to form an egg. Because that cycle is longer than one day and depends on light, a hen cannot always lay at the same time every day and may skip days.
Breed makes a large difference. A high-production layer may eventually produce five or six eggs in a good week, while a heritage or broody breed may lay much less frequently.
The first few weeks can also be irregular while the pullet settles into production.
Where Will a Pullet Lay Her First Egg?
Ideally, in a nest box. Real pullets do not always read the plan.
A first egg may turn up on the coop floor, under a roost, behind a feeder, in a corner of the run, or under a shrub if the birds free-range.
Keep suitable nest boxes open before the first eggs begin. A clean, quiet, slightly darker nest is often more attractive than a bright exposed corner. A fake egg or clean golf ball can sometimes encourage pullets to use an established nest.
If you think a pullet should be laying but no eggs appear, look for hidden nests before assuming she has not started.
My Pullet Is 6 Months Old and Still Not Laying. Is That a Problem?
Not necessarily.
At six months, many pullets are already laying, but some healthy birds start later. Before treating it as a medical problem, work through the basics:
- Breed or strain: is she from a slower-maturing heritage or heavy line?
- Sex: are you certain the bird is a pullet rather than a late-developing cockerel?
- Season: is she reaching maturity during shortening fall or winter days?
- Body development: is she an appropriate size and condition for her breed?
- Nutrition: is she eating a complete grower/pre-lay ration rather than filling up on scratch and treats?
- Hidden eggs: does she free-range or have access to secret nesting places?
- Stress: did you recently move the flock, introduce birds, or experience predator pressure?
- Health: is she active, eating normally, maintaining weight, and free of obvious parasite or disease signs?
If a much older pullet is not laying and also has poor growth, weight loss, persistent diarrhea, respiratory signs, an abnormal abdomen, or other evidence of illness, investigate with a veterinarian rather than using extra light or supplements as the first fix.
Common Reasons a Pullet Starts Later
Shortening Winter Days
A late-season pullet may be physically close to maturity while natural day length is moving in the opposite direction. Some wait longer before establishing regular production.
An Unbalanced Diet
Too much scratch grain, seed, table scraps, or other extras can dilute a complete grower ration. This is more important than finding a special “egg-laying booster” food.
Illness or Parasites
A bird dealing with disease or a significant parasite burden may not grow or mature normally. Weight loss, pale tissues, diarrhea, lethargy, respiratory signs, or poor feather condition deserve attention.
Do not deworm every late-laying pullet automatically. Diagnose or assess the parasite risk and use an appropriate treatment when needed.
Stress and Flock Pressure
Major transport, overcrowding, bullying, repeated predator scares, severe heat, or abrupt management changes can affect feeding, body condition, and reproductive timing.
What About a Hen That Used to Lay and Stopped?
That is a different question from a pullet that has never laid.
Molt, broodiness, short days, age, heat, stress, illness, nutrition, and reproductive problems can all stop or reduce production in a mature hen.
Do not assume a two-year-old hen is “finished.” Production generally peaks early and declines with age, but individual hens can continue laying for years at a lower rate.
See our detailed guide on why a mature hen stops laying.
A First-Egg Readiness Checklist
- The pullet is approaching the normal maturity range for her breed or strain.
- Her comb and wattles are becoming larger and redder.
- She is at a healthy body size and condition.
- She may squat or show other signs of sexual maturity.
- She is beginning to inspect nest boxes or quiet corners.
- The pelvic region is gradually becoming wider and softer.
- She has continuous access to an appropriate complete ration and fresh water.
- Nest boxes are ready before eggs begin.
- You are not using extra light to force an immature bird into production.
- You have checked for hidden nests if she ranges outside.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age do chickens start laying eggs?
Many laying-type pullets begin around 18–22 weeks, although some early strains start sooner and heavier or slower-maturing breeds may take longer. Breed, body development, season, nutrition, health and daylight all affect timing.
What are the signs that a pullet is close to laying?
Common clues include a larger redder comb and wattles, interest in nest boxes, submissive squatting, widening pelvic bones, a softer abdomen and a larger more moist vent. No single sign predicts the exact day of the first egg.
Do hens need a rooster before they can lay eggs?
No. A mature hen lays eggs whether or not a rooster is present. A rooster is required only if you want fertile eggs that can develop into chicks.
Should I switch pullets to layer feed at 16 weeks?
Not by age alone. Follow the feed manufacturer’s or breeder’s program. Many programs move from grower or developer feed to layer feed around the onset of lay, often near 18–20 weeks for commercial laying strains. High-calcium layer feed is unnecessary for immature pullets that are not yet at the appropriate stage.
Why is my 6-month-old chicken not laying yet?
Some healthy pullets mature later. Check breed or strain, season and day length, body condition, complete-feed intake, hidden nests, stress and signs of illness. If a late-maturing bird also has poor growth, weight loss, diarrhea, breathing problems or other illness, seek veterinary advice.
Are small, soft or double-yolk first eggs normal?
Occasional unusual eggs can occur when a young hen begins laying. First eggs are often smaller, and young layers may sometimes produce soft shells, double yolks or tiny yolkless eggs. Repeated shell defects or a sick hen deserve further investigation.
Final Thoughts
Waiting for a first egg can make a perfectly normal pullet feel late, especially when another bird from the same hatch has already started.
Use 18 to 22 weeks as a common reference point, not a promise. Watch the bird’s development, comb, nesting behavior, body condition, and the season. Keep her on the right complete feed and let her mature instead of trying to speed the process with extra light or supplements.
When the first egg finally appears, it may be small, oddly shaped, or sitting in the least convenient corner of the coop. That is part of the transition. Regular laying usually becomes more predictable as the pullet settles into her adult reproductive cycle.
Sources
- Penn State Extension: Preparing Pullets, What to Expect for the Transition to Lay
- University of Minnesota Extension: Raising Layer Chicks and Pullets
- University of Maryland Extension: Beginning Poultry
- Small and Backyard Poultry Extension: Raising Chickens for Egg Production
- Penn State Extension: Management Requirements for Laying Flocks
