1st timer here, how soon after they start crouching?

[mlahodik]

So, I am super excited because I have seen a couple of my girls crouch and submit when I get closer to them. They lay low and spread their wings a little. These girls are not usually the ones that let me just walk up to them and pet them.

This is one of the behaviors that mean they should be laying soon, right? They are 18-24 weeks.

My nest boxes are almost ready, but I need a day or two to get them finished.

Once they start doing this submissive squat, how long before they should start laying? Could they have already started and I've missed them? I'd hate to think they are eating the eggs or other vermin. I'm supper eggcited about getting my first eggs. Tia

 

[nuthatched]

A few days or weeks or months. They'll lay when they're ready.

 

[CluckerFamily]

From my experience, from the first time they squat for the rooster to mount them, they will start laying in a couple weeks.
Of course there are those stubborn ones that I think purposely leave us guessing.

 

[Chickassan]

You won't miss it, usually they have a little manic fit before they start that consists of them running around checking out nests and anything that remotely looks like a nest.

 

[3KillerBs]

A few days to a couple weeks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Echoing others. Hens keep their own calendars, and care not for our desires to record averages, expect something resembling timeliness, etc. They do it when they do it - and it sure seems like a surprise to them, the first few times it happens.

My experience is about 2 weeks, +/-, on average. Take your calendar, make note of the behavior, but don't pencil in any expectations, or you will surely be disappointed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

10-14 days in my experience. My only outlier so far is a little Sicilian Buttercup that was squatting, kicking stuff around nests, and doing everything else to be giving off signs of "I'm close to laying!" and didn't start laying for oh, a good 2 months?

 

[Folly's place]

If you are free ranging, consider keeping them in at least until later in the afternoon, to encourage them to actually use those nest boxes! New layers will pick other locations, especially because you don't have any hens to show them the right location. Also, consider adding a fake egg or golf balls to the nest boxes as a hint.
Mary

 

[mlahodik]

I got my first egg today, tiny little thing! Still eggciting!

 

[sourland]

Congratulations - more to come.