What Is Point-Of-Lay?

Photo of Kassandra Smith

Kassandra Smith

Senior Editor • Backyard Chicken Coops

Last Updated: 17 July 2020

Broody Wyandotte chicken laying on nest with eggs

Different poultry terms can be a bit puzzling at the best of times. If you've been looking to buy some chickens or add to an existing flock, you've probably come across the term point-of-lay.

Our Chicktionary defines point-of-lay as:

“Term used to describe pullets who are about to begin their first lay. Generally around 18-22 weeks old.”

Essentially, it means that the chicken is at the age where they are about to begin laying delicious fresh eggs!

If the breeder is selling a point-of-lay chicken, this indicates that:

  1. The chicken is of the right egg laying age for its breed. The time when a chicken generally starts laying its first egg varies - for example, Isa Browns might lay within their first 3-4 months of life, other chickens like the Silkie might take longer!

  1. The breeder has done physical checks that indicate the chicken is about to lay - for example, checking that the pelvis bones have separated.

If you buy a point-of-lay chicken and it doesn't start laying from day dot, don’t fret - it may still take a few days or weeks from purchase for your chicken to start producing eggs. There’s no way to calculate the exact date and time that your chickens will start producing eggs, but if you buy chickens at point-of-lay then they definitely should not be far off the mark.

If you want to know more about the tell-tale signs of an imminent egg, check out our When Will My Chickens Start Laying Eggs article which has a few tips and tricks you can use.

As well as deciding on the age of your new chooks, it can be eggstremely confusing and difficult to find the perfect breeds for you and your family. From looks, to personality, to egg-laying talents - where should you begin?

Cluckily, our friends over at Chickenpedia have created an amazing Chicken Breeds Course. This extensive online course shares useful advice on choosing the right chickens for you as well as size & frequency of eggs laid. You’ll even learn about their individual personalities, and be able to use their family-friendly compatibility scale through this well-structured program. It really is a great way to find your perfect backyard buddies which is why I highly recommend them to all of my readers! The courses are beginner-friendly and filled with vital information to help you raise a happy, healthy flock.

As chicken keepers, we want to do an eggcellent job when caring for our feathered friends, but many of us struggle to handle chicken health or behavior issues, especially in the first few years of having a flock. Chickenpedia have a full range of comprehensive online courses that cover everything you didn’t know you need to know and then some more! From healthcare to raising baby chicks to feeding and behavior, get the knowledge and confidence to successfully look after your chickens.

As a member, you will get access to ALL their fantastic courses. So, no need to wing it, become a confident chicken keeper. Click here to check out Chickenpedia today!

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