18 week old Golden Comets...could they be ready to lay?

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Gindee77

Gindee77

Songster
11 Years
Mar 31, 2008
581
17
164
QCA, Illinois
I have four 18 week old Golden Comets (sex-link pullets) that are doing some strange things. When I get close to them or try to pick them up, they will hunker down and make "shoulders" out of their wings. Is this posture happening because they are getting to the age where they will finally start to lay eggs and are ready to take a rooster? Since I don't have a rooster, they are out of luck
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but is this an indication of coming of age??

I sure hope so. I'm so excited to get our first egg!! I have bedded the nest boxes with dried grass clippings and shavings and they seem interested in the nest boxes, but so far, no eggs.

Am I getting excited over nothing?
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Anyone else have 18 wk old GC's that are starting to lay yet??
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Or do they even lay at this age?

Can you tell it's been a long time since I've had chickens??
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They should be laying. Typically the Golden Comets or any of the sex-link breeds will start laying around 15 wks. I would look around for some eggs. If you don't find anything yet, they should be starting to lay any time now!
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Yep- that behavior plus their age means eggs very soon. PLus, Carmen, my comet started laying eggs right around that age. I do not know her exact age, but she was just a little chick a week after Easter when we found her. That would have made her your pullets age when she started.
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It is so much fun to find the first eggs!
Enjoy!
 
Out of our 400 layers, 200 are Golden Comets. I love this chicken!

Mine lay normally about 20 weeks. The eggs are sooo small when they first lay...LOL...takes about 1-2 mos. for those eggs to increase good in size.

So 20-22 weeks is not uncommon with Golden Comets. Great chicken!!
Enjoy them!
 
Mine started at 16 weeks, but it has been a little sporadic and sometime we get some strange eggs (tiny, giant, double yolks, no shell), but they seem to be stabilizing now.

Mine are very good natured, I love that breed also! Soon, you should have breakfast waiting for you in the coop!

-Andrea
 
Mine did the same thing at about 18 weeks of age and at 19 1/2 my Buff Orphingtons laid their first eggs on the same day. We have been getting our very first eggs now for the last 2 weeks.
 
Mine started laying at 17 weeks. The last one started at 27 weeks. The squatting is submissive behavior. Also I put a golf ball in each of the nest boxes. Some people put plastic eggs in. I have never had any of them lay out of the boxes.
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Thanks everyone. I have my fork all ready for fresh eggs!!

And thanks for the advice...I think I'll put golf balls in the nests in the morning to use as nest eggs...that way they will know where they're supposed to lay.

I about had a heart attack of excitement today...
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...when I went into the coop this morning, there was one of my GC's in one of the nest boxes!! I was sure she was laying, but she just jumped out and came down to eat...there were no eggs yet!
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She probably just liked all the bedding I had in the box.
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I know it will be when I least expect it. I am obsessing about it tho...I just need to get it out of my mind.
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I also read in my chicken book (the basic one by Gail Damerow...can't think of the name...sorry) that Black sex-link chickens lay at 15 weeks!!!
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Is that true??
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I have two black sex-links that are 14 weeks old! I could be having more eggs than I know what to do with before I know it!
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