First Egg Calculator
When do chickens start laying eggs? Most breeds lay their first egg at 18 to 24 weeks old: a Rhode Island Red hatched on 1 March 2026 should lay her first egg in early July 2026. Enter your breed and hatch date below.
First Egg Calculator
Planning estimate. Figures vary by breed, strain, climate and management — see the sources cited on this page.
Key facts
- Point of lay by breed (weeks): Rhode Island Red and White Leghorn 18–20, Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Sussex, Wyandotte, Easter Egger, Ameraucana and Olive Egger 20–22, Orpington and Marans 22–24, Brahma and Cochin 24–26, Silkie 24–28. Source: Hy-Line breed data — figures vary by strain.
- Winter daylight delay: if point of lay falls in December or January, short days can delay the first egg by up to 4 weeks.
- First eggs are small. Pullet eggs start small and grow to full size over the first month of laying.
- Egg colour is set by breed — see the egg colour calculator for what happens when breeds are crossed.
How the first egg calculator works
Pick the breed and enter the hatch date, and the calculator adds the breed's point-of-lay age — 18 to 20 weeks for a Rhode Island Red, 24 to 28 for a Silkie — to give a first-egg window of about two weeks. It also shows the egg colour for that breed, so you know what to look for.
If the window falls in December or January, the calculator adds up to 4 weeks for the winter daylight delay, because pullets that reach laying age in the darkest months often wait until the days lengthen before they start.
What age do chickens start laying eggs?
Most laying breeds start at 18 to 22 weeks old, heavy breeds at 22 to 26 weeks, and Silkies as late as 24 to 28 weeks. A Rhode Island Red hatched on 1 March should lay her first egg between early and mid-July, while a Brahma hatched the same day may not lay until late August or September.
Age is a guide, not a switch: individual pullets vary by several weeks, and feed, daylight, stress and health all move the date. A healthy pullet that is a few weeks late is usually fine; one that is months late, or that looks unwell, is worth a closer look.
When will my chickens start laying eggs?
Count forward from the hatch date by the breed's point of lay, and watch for the signs: a reddening comb and wattles, squatting when you approach, and visits to the nest box. The first egg usually follows those signs by a week or two, and it is often small, pale or oddly shaped.
Put nest boxes in place at least two weeks before the expected first egg, with a fake egg in each box to show pullets where to lay. Pullets that learn to lay on the floor are hard to retrain, so the boxes need to be ready before the first egg arrives.
What this calculator does not do
This calculator predicts the first egg from breed averages; it does not diagnose a pullet that never starts laying. A bird that reaches 30 weeks with no eggs may be a late developer, a cockerel, or unwell — and the difference is not something a date calculator can settle.
It also does not promise daily laying from day one. New layers are irregular for the first month, with small eggs, soft shells and skipped days, before settling into the breed's normal laying rate.
Frequently asked questions
When do chickens start laying eggs?
Most breeds start laying at 18 to 24 weeks old: Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns at 18–20 weeks, Australorps and Plymouth Rocks at 20–22, Orpingtons at 22–24 and Silkies at 24–28 weeks.
When will my chickens start laying eggs?
Count forward from the hatch date by the breed's point of lay. A Rhode Island Red hatched 1 March 2026 should lay her first egg between early and mid-July 2026.
What age do chickens start laying eggs?
18 to 20 weeks for early layers such as Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds, 20 to 22 for most dual-purpose breeds, 22 to 26 for heavy breeds and 24 to 28 for Silkies.
When do hens start laying by breed?
Leghorn and Rhode Island Red 18–20 weeks; Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Sussex, Wyandotte, Easter Egger and Ameraucana 20–22; Orpington and Marans 22–24; Brahma and Cochin 24–26; Silkie 24–28 weeks.
Why is my pullet late to lay in winter?
Short days in December and January can delay the first egg by up to 4 weeks. Pullets that reach point of lay in the darkest months often wait until daylight lengthens before they start.
The How Many Eggs Per Week by Breed guide covers the same part of keeping chickens in more detail. Two related calculators worth checking next are the Egg Production Calculator and Egg Colour Calculator.