How old will the chickens be when that start laying eggs? Can they be fertilized right away?
-Sandra

Varies by breed and care and management. Some bantams lay at 4 1/2 months and any time up to 6-7 months for the large breeds. Yes, eggs can be fertilized right away, if the male is skilled and the pullet cooperates. If you want to hatch, best to wait a few weeks, until the pullet's eggs are larger, as a stronger embryo and chick will result! CJR

We started some day old chicks in October of last year (barred rock, gold lace wyandotte) and they started laying Feb 19th of this year (about 19 weeks later). There production has been increasing each week since and now we're averaging about 13/14 eggs a day. Yesterday was the all time high with 16 eggs being collected. With 23 hens, I expect the numbers to continue climbing, at least for a few more weeks. - Warren