Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[djmax]

Hello We too are waiting for our little flock to start laying eggs ... I have 4 different breeds all hatched on April 19th ... Liza (blue silkie) Bette (blue Cochin) Elizabeth (Golden Laced Wyandotte) and Norma Jean (Speckled Sussex) so pretty much all are expecting to lay around 22 - 24 weeks?

 

[Delight30]

My 22 week old barred rock did the egg squat this morning. YAY! It took the bird long enough. She's acting like she is going to lay any day. She sings the egg song and is now squating.

Mine hasn't started singing, but is squatting Yea! Do your chickens free range at all? Mine are in an enclosed coop and run, so she will not be able to hide her egg when she does start. I keep listening for the song and checking the nest too, often

 

[djmax]

Mine are cooped and have an attached 10 X 12 Run - I'm afraid to let them run about

 

[snakelife]

Mine hasn't started singing, but is squatting Yea! Do your chickens free range at all? Mine are in an enclosed coop and run, so she will not be able to hide her egg when she does start. I keep listening for the song and checking the nest too, often

I keep mine in a small around my boat. It's 100 by 50 feet or so. There aren't to many places to hide an egg around the chicken yard. I would keep your chickens locked up for a few days and see if they are laying. I leave mine in the coop till about 1 or so to decrease chances of hiding eggs.

 

[nakstk]

Still waiting here. So, my girls don't squat for me but they have started squatting for the rooster. Is that still a sign of getting ready to lay? I mean even my big girls who are already laying don't squat for me...

 

I don't have a roster so I am not 100% sure about this, but I think the reason that your girls don't squat for you is because they see the roo as the dominate one. If they are squatting for him then yes you will be getting eggs soon!

 

[nakstk]

I keep mine in a small around my boat. It's 100 by 50 feet or so. There aren't to many places to hide an egg around the chicken yard. I would keep your chickens locked up for a few days and see if they are laying. I leave mine in the coop till about 1 or so to decrease chances of hiding eggs.

They don't always just lay in the morning time. 2 of my 7 lay between 4pm & 6pm they have always been late layers.

 

[KilnChick]

W

...

Mine are cooped and have an attached 10 X 12 Run - I'm afraid to let them run about
[/quote Why are you afraid to let them out?

 

[djmax]

Well predators are my main concern ...

 

[jtbass2756]

DJmax.............Mine also...we have the whole array of varmits... My hubby calls my coop a little Ft Knox and said I was a "little OCD" when I was getting it put together.I think he always had in his mind that "when I was little...." and so on. Well, time has changed ...we have crowded those varmits out into a small area and they are foraging for everything and anything. Mine coop was a gift and came with regular old chicken wire. I didn't remove it but covered over it with 1/4" hardware cloth wire, raised it off the ground on a tall cinder block, covered the apron and perimeter of that with the same wire...then buried it about 10-12". After that....LOL....I put pavers around the perimeter. YEP, that's my little 10 x 4' coop! LOL Lots of sweat equity! I am fixing a tractor run for daytime use only. I too am worried about allowing them out of their little coop run so I understand, The last pict just shows the nest access door opened

 

[djmax]

Very nice JTBass love the blocks that should keep out the bad guys... I'll get some pics of our little coop and post them