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Another "When Will They Lay" Thread...

post #1 of 14
Thread Starter 

There are a great many threads already titled "When Will My Chickens Start Laying".  I read a bunch of them, but I didn't really find the info I wanted.  I've googled it and can't find a good answer either.  So I'm guessing there probably isn't a good answer, but at least I can commiserate.

 

I have 3 Golden-Laced Wyandottes who are currently about 19 weeks and 2 Barred Rocks at 18 weeks. I know 20-24 weeks is normally average for egglaying, and I wasn't expecting anything until mid-July at the earliest. 

However, one of my Rocks had her comb turn bright red 3-4 weeks ago, and for the last 2 weeks she's been squatting every time my husband or I walk by.   How long after noticing these changes did it take for you all to see eggs?  The other Rock doesn't squat and her comb isn't as red, and the GLW's have had their combs really start increasing in size the last two weeks, but they're not a whole lot redder, so I don't expect anything out of them for a while.  However, Miss Precocious seems right on the verge, and I'm getting impatient.

 

Other info that might help - I started mixing layer feed with their feeder/grower about a week ago, they free-range for at least a couple of hours each day, and they get kitchen scraps.  It has been dreadfully hot here, upper 90's to 100 for a week or two ("but it's a dry heat").  Since I live in the desert, it will get down to the 60's at night even if it's 100 during the day.

 

I know, they lay when they lay.  *sigh*


Edited by Eowyn2 - 6/24/12 at 12:29pm
post #2 of 14

You have your answer, "They lay when they lay."  idunno.gif

Friends are the family you make for yourself.
There are no coincidences- only providences.
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Friends are the family you make for yourself.
There are no coincidences- only providences.
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post #3 of 14

Generally, about 2-3 weeks after the combs get big and red and they start to squat, is when the first egg will appear.  It sounds like she is very close.

Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

Read about my fox attack here

Read a fox attack survival story here

How to build a hoop house in 10 easy steps here

 

Are you from Kansas? (Click to show)

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Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

Read about my fox attack here

Read a fox attack survival story here

How to build a hoop house in 10 easy steps here

 

Are you from Kansas? (Click to show)

Reply
post #4 of 14
Thread Starter 

Ok, I'll keep walking out every morning and looking at the empty nest box... *sigh*

 

I think the rest of them will probably be on the mid-July schedule.  They're all getting very moody as of the last week or so, so now I have teenage chickens... /rolleyes

post #5 of 14
Thread Starter 

It is an immutable law of the universe that, if you ask for advice about something on the Internet, it will resolve itself within 24 hours. (And the second is like unto it - if you take your deathly ill child to the doctor, by the time the physician walks in the room, said child will be bouncing off the walls and hanging off the light fixture.)


Guess who laid an egg this morning?

 

egg1.jpg
 

post #6 of 14

Hi Eowyn2,

 

Congratulations on your first egg!

"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

 

 

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"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

 

 

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post #7 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eowyn2 View Post

It is an immutable law of the universe that, if you ask for advice about something on the Internet, it will resolve itself within 24 hours. (And the second is like unto it - if you take your deathly ill child to the doctor, by the time the physician walks in the room, said child will be bouncing off the walls and hanging off the light fixture.)


Guess who laid an egg this morning?

 

egg1.jpg
 


Ha ha  truth!!  congratulations!

Liz, wife, mom to 4 boys and  "food lady" to a mix of mostly Ameraucanas & EE's with a few oddball breeds for fun. :) 

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Liz, wife, mom to 4 boys and  "food lady" to a mix of mostly Ameraucanas & EE's with a few oddball breeds for fun. :) 

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post #8 of 14

HAAAH!!!!  'S truth!  I was going to say you might want to do evening checks on those boxes too, mine refuse to lay in the morning.  I generally get my eggs around 5 in the evening.  Never knew that just because I've worked Swing shift all my life, my hens would too!

Pat Lowe
Dreamcatcher Arabian Horses LLC
Stillwater, OK

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Pat Lowe
Dreamcatcher Arabian Horses LLC
Stillwater, OK

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post #9 of 14
Thread Starter 

It is also apparently an immutable law of the universe that whichever chicken I post about here gets nailed by a predator within the week.  It has happened both times now.

Not 2-3 hours after finding the egg, a neighbor dog killed 3 of my 5 chickens, including little Lolita there.  hit.gif

 

My remaining two birds are still a little shell-shocked, and are giving me dirty looks both for having let the others get nailed as well as now not letting them out to free-range.  Poor babies.
 


Edited by Eowyn2 - 6/25/12 at 6:17pm
post #10 of 14

Oh, I'm so sorry - what a bummer for you and for them.

Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

Read about my fox attack here

Read a fox attack survival story here

How to build a hoop house in 10 easy steps here

 

Are you from Kansas? (Click to show)

Reply

Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

Read about my fox attack here

Read a fox attack survival story here

How to build a hoop house in 10 easy steps here

 

Are you from Kansas? (Click to show)

Reply
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