[wolverine]

I found out that my chickens are 18 weeks old. how long before they will grow their combs One has it's comb and it's quite big and red so I assume she will be first to lay me an egg the other two have barely any comb at all
surely that should be growing now if they are that old?

[joyfull]

the average age is about 24 weeks but depending on the breed it can be earlier or later. Also it depends on what type of comb your hens have, not all have the big ones that you think of with chickens. Another thing they may do is squat down and do a little foot dance when you go near if they are ready to start laying (not all do this). This is because they think of you as a cockerel and get down into the mating position   

[dizzylizzie]

You say 1 has a comb and is quite big red, the other 2 dont...could it be that you have a cockerel and 2 hens?

[Pretty Chick]

What breed are the hens??
As joyfull said, different breeds of hens have different sized combs.

[wolverine]

No they are all hens.  funny you should mention the squating thing joyfull the one with the comb has started sqwating down in a strange way when I go near sometimes I assumed she was just scared because she is the least tame one.

[joyfull]

nope she is getting ready to start laying 

[wolverine]

I'm not sure of the breeds I got them from a place called Merrydale poultry she called them Merrydale copper black Merrydale blue and Merrydale snowbell all hybrids. I don't know if copper black blue or snowbell are breeds  they don't sound like breeds to me. I could be wrong

[joyfull]

they are their own versions of possibly the blackrock, the bluebelle and I'm not sure about the snowbell. These will all have the usual combs and should lay about the 24 week age.

[dizzylizzie]

Owwww, yummy eggs soon then