A recent study carried out in this laboratory revealed differences in oestrous cycling between individually housed female mice that had been reared from 19 days to 4.5 months of age in single‐sex groups of 30 or reared in single‐sex littermate groups of four with the mother. The present experiment assessed whether prior housing and social conditions have long‐term consequences on oestrous cycling in female mice. Prior rearing conditions influence oestrous cycling in female mice, but their influence may be modulated by the subsequent housing and social conditions.