Chicken Support Insights - Episode 35: The Late-Summer Ordering Mistake That Delays Your Fall Eggs

Thinking about ordering chicks at the end of summer and hoping for fresh eggs by fall? In this episode of Chicken Support Insights, Tina and Nikki explain why timing matters, breaking down the journey from hatch day and brooding to breed maturity and seasonal factors that affect when hens begin laying. They also share practical planning tips to help you set realistic expectations and avoid waiting longer than expected for that first egg.

What factors have had the biggest impact on when your flock started laying their first eggs?

If you'd like to learn more about planning your flock for fall egg production, be sure to read our article, "What to Order in Summer for Fall Eggs." It explains how to choose the right breeds, understand chick timelines, and plan your order so your flock is ready when you expect them to be.

For more backyard poultry education, breed selection guidance, chick care resources, and seasonal flock management tips, explore Valley Hatchery's educational content. If this episode helped you think differently about predator warning signs and coop security, be sure to subscribe to Chicken Support Insights for more practical poultry education and backyard chicken insights.

Transcript

Tina 0:08

Welcome back to Chicken Support Insights, the podcast where we answer the questions backyard chicken keepers ask us every day. I'm Tina and I'm joined here with Nikki. One question we hear every year toward the end of summer is if I order chicks now, will I be getting eggs this fall?

Nikki 0:27

Today we are breaking down why timing matters so much, how long it really takes for chicks to become laying hands, and how a little planning can help avoid disappointment later. Let's jump in.

Tina 0:39

So, Nikki, what's the biggest misconception people have about ordering chicks later in the summer?

Nikki 0:45

Well, Tina, I think the biggest misconception is that if you receive chicks in late summer, you'll automatically have eggs by fall. But that's not really true because as we all know, they have a lot of growing to do before that even happens. Once the chicks arrive, you will obviously have to raise them. They will need to be put in that brooder for about six weeks before they can even go into a coop or even go outdoors. Most breeds start laying around 16 to 22 a week, with some taking a little bit longer. But again, we'll get into that a little bit later. And people automatically think that once they get chicks and they will get them within a few weeks. I know we all get the concern from customers that, oh, my chicks are, I don't know, three months old and I still don't have any eggs. It's important to set realistic expectations and realize a lot of factors go into getting that first egg.

Tina 1:34

Yeah, and it's easy to understand why people think that. The timeline isn't always obvious until you break it down.

Nikki 1:41

Right. And can you walk us through that timeline from ordering chicks to getting and collecting that first egg?

Tina 1:47

So when people see the whole timeline laid out, it usually makes a lot more sense why planning ahead is so important. So you're going to order the chicks. So ordering and hatch timing is something you have to understand. Just because you order them today doesn't mean they're shipping today. And what they need to understand is you order them today, but then you look at that date that it puts on your order. Before you hit pay, you want to make sure that hatch date works for you. So what I mean by that is the if it says hypothetically a hatch date of July 22nd, that means that's the day they hatch and they mail to you. And then you're gonna get them within one to three days after that. So you're not counting that first day of hatch, you're counting the following day, the 23rd, 24th, and 25th, say you go on a 22nd hatch date. So you want to know that in any one of those three days, the post office can call you and tell you to pick the chicks up. So it's not the day you order them, it's based on when they're hatching, because we do send them out the day they hatch. That's one big thing that I think people don't understand. And then, like you mentioned, the brooding period, you're brooding five, six weeks minimum before they're even going out. But then you also have to remember that they're not fully feathered till like six, eight weeks. And then after that is when they're still maturing in that period, and after that is when they'll lay for the first time, like you had mentioned, maybe around 20 weeks, depending on the breed. Yeah, absolutely. So the brooding period is so important, knowing that they can't go directly into the coop when you first get them, they do need beam doors and all of that. So going over that is important, and we're here to help you with that if you have questions on that.

Nikki 3:27

Right. And yeah, as you know, we we get a lot of calls about, oh, I ordered my chicks, but we're like, oh well, they can't go into the coop yet. They're not ready.

Tina 3:35

Yeah, yeah, you skip the whole step that you need. So, or they'll say, I'm not quite ready yet because I don't have my coop. Well, you have five or six weeks to get that or more potentially. So, yeah, that's important. I think just that brooding period. And like I mentioned, the feathering out. So, you know, six to eight weeks is when they're fully feathered. They go through some awkward stages before that, they have molts before that. All of those things that people don't realize they go through. They want to be fully adult feathered, you know, before, depending on the weather, of course. And we also talked about the laying age, roughly 20 weeks, depends on the breed, but roughly that's what we're looking at. You can't rush things like this. So you have to allow the chicken, you might have say three Easter eggers as an example, and two of them are already laying and they're doing great, and they've been laying for two weeks, but the third one isn't. Well, that's okay. It doesn't mean there's something wrong with her. She's gonna she's gonna do it on her time.

Nikki 4:34

Exactly.

Tina 4:34

So that's a big thing, too, is it's not always an exact science. So it's really about working backwards from the date that you hope to start collecting eggs, and that's how you can determine when you should get them. And we're here to help you with that as well. Right. Okay. Yep. 100%. Oh, and all of these things I should mention are covered on previous podcasts as well. We do cover brooding specifically and all these different things. So you can find these in previous podcasts as well.

Nikki 5:02

Yeah, we have a lot of good information on each of those.

Cortney 5:06

Hey, this is Courtney, customer support manager here at Valley Hatchery. Quick reminder before we keep going. The moment your chicks arrive, get them into a pre-warmed brooder, then call us right away. Do not wait until the next morning. That first 24 hours is the window that matters most. Weak chicks, lethargy, anything that does not look right. We need to hear from you immediately. Our number is 1-800-652-7606. If we are assisting other customers, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Valley Hatchery has been shipping NPIP certified day-old chicks since 2009. Our team has walked thousands of customers through their first delivery. We know exactly what your birds have been through to reach you, and we know how to help. Phone lines closed? Email us. Your message will not sit until Monday. We monitor email every single day. Weekends included, anytime. Here is what every first-time mail order buyer needs to understand. Mail order chicks are not the same as locally hatched birds. They have traveled. They are tired. Getting that first 24 hours right takes expert guidance, and that is exactly what we are here to give you. And before delivery day, make sure you have downloaded our free chick care guide at ValleyHatchery.com. It walks you through everything from day one to week six, so nothing catches you off guard. Our support does not end at checkout. We are with you until your flock is fully grown and thriving. Because at Valley Hatchery, we believe that getting your chicks is just the beginning.

Tina 6:45

Okay, welcome back. Even if birds are old enough, why might first eggs still arrive later than expected during the fall or winter, Nikki?

Nikki 6:55

Well, one thing that surprises a lot of newkeepers is that age isn't the only factor. The season itself can influence when those first eggs arrive. Chickens need a lot of daylight to lay consistently, anywhere from 14 to 16 hours. In the fall and winter, we have a lot less daylight than in the summer. So it is normal for laying to slow or even stop. And it's kind of even the same in the summer when we have excessive heat waves or anything like that. It could slow or stop in that situation too. Breed maturity can differ too when it comes to time to lay. Breeds, like I mentioned, can take longer. Breeds like coachins, Koalish, and Brahmas. So kind of just don't put too much pressure on your hands. Let them do their chicken thing and kind of think of it this way. Would we really want to go out and do a whole bunch of yard work when it's 100 degrees outside? Maybe some of us would, but I think the majority of us would be like, Yeah, I'm gonna wait till I hold down a little bit. Um, it's kind of the same situation with them. So kind of just be patient. When they're ready, they will give you eggs.

Tina 7:55

Absolutely. And I love that. But how did you phrase that? Be gentle on your chickens, or you know, don't too much pressure on them. Right. Absolutely. You have to have patience with these things, and that's why two flocks the same age can sometimes start laying at different times. So keep that in mind. Right.

Nikki 8:12

So, what's the best way for someone to plan if they have a goal of collecting eggs by fall?

Tina 8:19

Well, always tell people to start with the date that they want the eggs in the basket, then we will work backwards to figure it out. So we'll start with the goal. Let's say somebody to, like you mentioned, lay in the fall, you said we want to work backwards at least 25 weeks just to ensure that we do have some laying. And we have to remember too that when they first start laying, it's not super consistent. They're still getting the hang of it, they're not laying as big of eggs or as often. So there's that process too. So you could definitely go even 25 weeks and be pretty comfortable with the laying. Like you had mentioned, consider the breed maturity. Coachings, for example, may not as quickly. So we can go over that with you, help you to determine based on what your desires are. Do you want um a specific egg color, for instance? Do you want certain size of eggs? All of these things that we can take into consideration. And then, of course, thinking about the daylight, like you mentioned. And we do need to add the heat into this factor. You never know what Mother Nature's going to do. Did we really know that we were going to have such a brutal summer? So you have to plan for the unexpected as well. So plan a little bit more comfortably, maybe, than tight schedule. I would say plan them earlier than you expect, like I'm mentioning, because all of these things can just happen. And what's the worst case scenario? You have eggs sooner than you expected. Right.

Nikki 9:40

That's not a bad thing. Yeah.

Tina 9:43

So again, picking the time is definitely just have a realistic expectation on that. Right. And it'll avoid a lot of frustration and headaches, definitely.

Nikki 9:53

Exactly. A little planning now can save a lot of waiting later. Absolutely. Hopefully, today's conversation helps make the timeline from chicks to first egg a little clearer. Understanding how ordering dates affect weighing expectations can help you build a swap that fits your goals instead of leaving you wondering why your eggs haven't arrived yet.

Tina 10:14

And if you have a chicken question you'd like us to answer in a future Chicken Support Insights episode, we'd love to hear from you. Have a chicken question for us? Leave us a voice message using the fan mail link in this episode's description on Buzz Sprout. We listen to every message. We truly do. And you might hear your question answered in a future episode of Chicken Support Insights.

Nikki 10:36

Thanks so much for listening, and we'll see you next time. Take care, everyone. Bye.