Pullet Comb Question

[Lady Grey]

My chicks are about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks old, though one is about 4 weeks. Obviously, they are on track to reach maturity in the middle of winter, so I'm not expecting any eggs until spring. I know that a pullet's comb start to turn red just before she starts laying. Will my girls' combs turn when they reach maturity, or will they wait until spring? I have one barred rock (oldest girl), two gold-laced wyandottes, one black Australorp, a cuckoo Marans, and an RIR.

 

[nchls school]

My chicks are about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks old, though one is about 4 weeks. Obviously, they are on track to reach maturity in the middle of winter, so I'm not expecting any eggs until spring. I know that a pullet's comb start to turn red just before she starts laying. Will my girls' combs turn when they reach maturity, or will they wait until spring? I have one barred rock (oldest girl), two gold-laced wyandottes, one black Australorp, a cuckoo Marans, and an RIR.

When the comb and wattles become larger and redder you can expect them to start laying soon; a definite age doesn't seem to be the deciding factor. I have seven pullets, all the same age, and one started laying a couple of weeks ago. The other day I noticed that another pullet's comb/wattles had become large and red and she, most likely, will lay soon. Other pullets, the same age, have comb and wattles that haven't started to change indicating that they will not lay any time soon. Each one is developing the red comb and wattles at its own rate.

The combs and wattles will change when they are getting ready to lay. If your coop is unheated that will take place in the spring depending on where you live. I'm in Wisconsin-the coop is heated. so my pullets will begin laying when they are ready even if it in the middle of the winter. I also have artificial lighting on a timer. My coop is "spring" year around.

 

[donrae]

Don't give up hope for winter eggs. I've had birds start laying in winter, one even laid her very first egg on winter Solstice

.

But their combs won't redden up until they're ready to lay. If they're going to hold off until spring, they will stay with smaller, pale combs through the winter.

 

[Lady Grey]

Thanks. We'll see what happens!