Becoming a proud mommy!

[renelle67]

So this morning, I go out to put frozen water bottles in the waterers. Every morning my girls are all out in their yard. Well this morning they were not and I am thinking there is a critter in their enclosed yard. No critters. So I opened the back "door" to their boxes. Lo and behold, one of my girls are building her a nest. Mind you, not in any of the boxes. But I don't care. I've got a nest!

I was running late for work or I would have grabbed my phone and taken a picture. Now how long do yall think I have to wait for her to start laying? They are Easter Eggers and are only 19 wks.

 

[Wynette]

So this morning, I go out to put frozen water bottles in the waterers. Every morning my girls are all out in their yard. Well this morning they were not and I am thinking there is a critter in their enclosed yard. No critters. So I opened the back "door" to their boxes. Lo and behold, one of my girls are building her a nest. Mind you, not in any of the boxes. But I don't care. I've got a nest!

I was running late for work or I would have grabbed my phone and taken a picture. Now how long do yall think I have to wait for her to start laying? They are Easter Eggers and are only 19 wks.

19 weeks is quite young; hopefully, you're not feeding layer feed yet (I switch mine to a flock raiser type feed from around 12 weeks to POL). You shouldn't feed that until you see the first one lay an egg, as the extra calcium in it can damage their organs. Average lay time is 22-24 weeks.

 

[aart]

Frozen water?!? You must be in the southern hemisphere?

19 weeks is not that young, I've had a couple start then.

New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!

2 bony points on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[enola]

i have had many hens start laying at the age of 19 weeks.

Yep here in the south, we have been having 90+ degrees temperatures for what seems like forever. And then you can throw in a few days of over 100* degrees without the heat index.

Every evening when I go to the chicken coop, I am amazed that they all look perky. Tough bunch of hens.

 

[kacappi]

Here in Mississippi its been sooo hot too i keep a small wading pool out for my girls and they love walking around it. We got our first brown egg yesterday from one of six black sex link...she was so proud!!!

 

[renelle67]

Thank you. I live just NW of Houston and our days have been VERY hot. My thermometer Sat. said 109*. That's why I put frozen water bottles in their water.

The other chickens were just watching her.

 

[renelle67]

Thank you. I will give her "check up" when I get home today. It was so hard not to go home for lunch.

 

[renelle67]

Well, turns out it was just practice. It was well made nest with a well in the middle and everything. Got home and this is what I found.which a good thing as I need to clean the floor.