Another "When Will They Lay" Thread...

[Eowyn2]

There are a great many threads already titled "When Will My Chickens Start Laying". I read a bunch of them, but I didn't really find the info I wanted. I've googled it and can't find a good answer either. So I'm guessing there probably isn't a good answer, but at least I can commiserate.

I have 3 Golden-Laced Wyandottes who are currently about 19 weeks and 2 Barred Rocks at 18 weeks. I know 20-24 weeks is normally average for egglaying, and I wasn't expecting anything until mid-July at the earliest.

However, one of my Rocks had her comb turn bright red 3-4 weeks ago, and for the last 2 weeks she's been squatting every time my husband or I walk by. How long after noticing these changes did it take for you all to see eggs? The other Rock doesn't squat and her comb isn't as red, and the GLW's have had their combs really start increasing in size the last two weeks, but they're not a whole lot redder, so I don't expect anything out of them for a while. However, Miss Precocious seems right on the verge, and I'm getting impatient.

Other info that might help - I started mixing layer feed with their feeder/grower about a week ago, they free-range for at least a couple of hours each day, and they get kitchen scraps. It has been dreadfully hot here, upper 90's to 100 for a week or two ("but it's a dry heat"). Since I live in the desert, it will get down to the 60's at night even if it's 100 during the day.

I know, they lay when they lay. *sigh*

 

[sourland]

You have your answer, "They lay when they lay."

 

[HEChicken]

Generally, about 2-3 weeks after the combs get big and red and they start to squat, is when the first egg will appear. It sounds like she is very close.

 

[Eowyn2]

Ok, I'll keep walking out every morning and looking at the empty nest box... *sigh*

I think the rest of them will probably be on the mid-July schedule. They're all getting very moody as of the last week or so, so now I have teenage chickens... /rolleyes

 

[Eowyn2]

It is an immutable law of the universe that, if you ask for advice about something on the Internet, it will resolve itself within 24 hours. (And the second is like unto it - if you take your deathly ill child to the doctor, by the time the physician walks in the room, said child will be bouncing off the walls and hanging off the light fixture.)

Guess who laid an egg this morning?

 

[ChicKat]

Hi Eowyn2,

Congratulations on your first egg!

 

[Indigosands]

It is an immutable law of the universe that, if you ask for advice about something on the Internet, it will resolve itself within 24 hours. (And the second is like unto it - if you take your deathly ill child to the doctor, by the time the physician walks in the room, said child will be bouncing off the walls and hanging off the light fixture.)

Guess who laid an egg this morning?

Ha ha truth!! congratulations!

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

HAAAH!!!! 'S truth! I was going to say you might want to do evening checks on those boxes too, mine refuse to lay in the morning. I generally get my eggs around 5 in the evening. Never knew that just because I've worked Swing shift all my life, my hens would too!

 

[Eowyn2]

It is also apparently an immutable law of the universe that whichever chicken I post about here gets nailed by a predator within the week. It has happened both times now.

Not 2-3 hours after finding the egg, a neighbor dog killed 3 of my 5 chickens, including little Lolita there.

My remaining two birds are still a little shell-shocked, and are giving me dirty looks both for having let the others get nailed as well as now not letting them out to free-range. Poor babies.

 

[HEChicken]

Oh, I'm so sorry - what a bummer for you and for them.