Help, I'm looking for signs that she is ready to start laying

[VT Chick-lit]

I am trying to find out the various signs that a pullet is ready to lay her first egg. I know that her face and comb will get red as the time aproaches, but that is the only indicator I know. Can you wise chicken keepers

tell me other signs to look for. My RIR is about 18 weeks old and her face and comb are red. My EE is the same age but her face and comb are much lighter. I am waiting with bated breath

for the RIR to lay her first egg.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I have also seen here that they will be more willing to let you pet them and they tend to squat down...they also start getting nosy in the nest boxes.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

My oldest chicken (the sole survivor of a fox attack) got all noisy the other day, and was lying down and making all sorts of crazy noises, i swear, it was cackling.... but no egg. that was like 2 weeks ago, and still no eggs... she was born on may 15th... what do you think?

 

[Hen Daddy]

From our experience, they will begin squatting for you and up to about 2 weeks later they will begin laying. You will know when you see them squat. You will reach out to pet her and her wings drop, her butt might go up in the air a bit, and she sits quite still. Pretty much unmistakeable.

Chickensduck&agoose- Sounds like she is getting close. Look for her squatting first. Eggs soon thereafter.

 

[ears73]

Do hens squat for pets even if they have never been prone to being pet before? I figure I will wait and see when the eggs come, but it is exciting to check every day for movement in the right direction!

 

[chickenlady81]

I know what you mean. My RIR's are 17 weeks old and one of them was making a weird nose today and staying close to the coop instead of going with the rest of the flock. Does this mean she is getting ready to lay an egg? I didnt know you were not suppose to feed scratch to pullets?

 

[redhen]

do ducks do the squat thing also?.Wendy.

 

[debakadeb]

I found that with mine that even the most unfriendly hen began to squat just before they started laying. Now...it still does not keep my one MEAN hen from pecking me. Simply don't know if she is pecking for attention or telling me to get out of her space!

 

[chickenlady81]

Mine likes my garden dirt in the front of the sunroom right by the coop. She was sitting there today making a weird noise. What do you all think?

 

[angels4]

Squat, bum up, wings away from body. Unmistakable. The day after mine started doing this, I got an egg. Good luck!