Introduction. The age at which your hens will begin to lay depends on their breed type. Hybrids are the earliest birds to start laying, starting about 1 month earlier than non-hybrids. Non-hybrids, which include our rare and heritage breeds, typically begin laying about one month later than hybrids. Most of the egg laying hybrids start laying at 4 to 5 months of age. These include Pearl White Leghorns, Black Stars, and Red Stars. Hybrid egg layers are bred by crossing two different lines or breeds. They are known for their excellent productivity and high feed conversion ratio.