Where are the nests?
Are they easy to get up and down from?
Ping pong balls maybe too light and get kicked out of nest.....better to go with golf balls, heavy, solid fake eggs or sand filled hollow plastic 'easter eggs'.
Sometimes first year layers will lay all winter without supplemental lighting, sometimes they won't. Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting. Some folks think that using lighting shortens the years a hen will lay, I don't agree with that theory but I also plan to cull my older hens for soup at about 3 years old.
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(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.
ETA: Oh one good trick is to start a thread here complaining about no eggs, they'll lay the next day!!
JK really, but I have seen it happen numerous times..haha.
Are they easy to get up and down from?
Ping pong balls maybe too light and get kicked out of nest.....better to go with golf balls, heavy, solid fake eggs or sand filled hollow plastic 'easter eggs'.
Sometimes first year layers will lay all winter without supplemental lighting, sometimes they won't. Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting. Some folks think that using lighting shortens the years a hen will lay, I don't agree with that theory but I also plan to cull my older hens for soup at about 3 years old.
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(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.
ETA: Oh one good trick is to start a thread here complaining about no eggs, they'll lay the next day!!
JK really, but I have seen it happen numerous times..haha.
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