Behaviour of hen before laying first egg?

[Ameraucana5]

My ameraucana hen is acting the same way, slow to walk out of the coop, and she has not been reinforcing her spot in the pecking order. I've been keeping my eye's out for eggs but none so far, today is the second day she's been doing this.

 

[WiddleChix]

My EE hen is acting kinda distant and not too interested in food. She's usually very active and today she was last out of the coop and is laying down more than usual. My Cochin is acting like all of the posters mentioned as well as my EE and it just happened today I'm really worried. She doesn't seem necessary sick but distant, I picked her up and she still fought to get away from me so that's a good sign. My Cochin is acting similar but not as distant. They are about 5-5 and a half months and these will be my first egg layers so I don't know what I'm looking for.

 

[IronTiff]

My EE pullet just laid her first egg yesterday. Lately she's been waaaay more vocal, and at times a bit grumpy. She hasn't pecked at me though. She now gets jealous when I stop petting her at night so I can pet her roo for a bit...

She eats more too, and started squatting the day before her first egg. She also has less interest in free ranging, and wants more coop time. And despite getting jealous when I pet her roo, she still has no problem letting him steal grapes right out of ber beak!

 

[KateGurule]

I have a question on this now. I have a chicken that since she started laying last month (August 2017), she has been a good layer. She was the first one that let me hold her and was friendly. The last couple of weeks i have noticed her being more stand offish and she randomly lays her eggs in different places where she used to lay them in the coop with all the other girls. She also does not want to go into the coop at night. On a side note, we noticed something wrong with her breast. I looked at it today and there is what looks like yolk on it and bleeding. I'm thinking the other girls went after the yolk. Maybe this is why she is reluctant to go in to the coop and is staying away from the other girls? I am hoping to get her cleaned up and fixed today but can anyone let me know if this has happened with their chickens? Would appreciate it.

 

[hannahbear]

I would like to know this too. I have a pullet doing the same type of thing. Not lethargic, though. I think thats the wrong word... Since I've been on an egg watch this week, all seemed normal, the squat, and all. And I've been out to the run every few hours. Usually I can count on my 8 pullets running up to the fence just to see what I'm bringing them! But when I went down this evening, my LBrahma just stood under the coop - it looked like she was holding her back/tail feathers up a little?
Anyway, she didn't really move, but wasn't sitting down. She didn't seem distressed, just... uninterested in what the others were doing and what goodies I had in tow. She's a top bird (in the peck. order) and its unlike her to be so... still.. and not fight for her portion of the scraps. She did seem to kind of trance out and close her eyes... maybe lethargic is the right word, but based on how often I've been checking, it would be sudden onset whatever it is... It has been hot here, but this afternoon was not so bad (shady, nice breeze), and I have seen her eat and drink today, though I haven't been able to tell how much, really.

Does anyone have any clues? Can she be egg boung after only laying an egg or two? She's right in the middle of figuring this whole egg laying business, and its been a week since our first, and last egg....

Hi MLGarber,

I have a pullet doing very similar behavior right now. What ended up happening with your girl?? Mine is laying down a lot with her tail in the air, and just kind of keeping to herself. Weird first time egg laying problem or something to be worried about? Thanks!

 

[hsj07]

Is she not moving because she's squatting or is she just acting lethargic? When they get close to laying supposedly they will start squatting when you are around and not move but mine never did despite some being very friendly. Now if she's just not active even when you aren't around and not eating I would worry. Unresponsive kind of worries me too. I'd keep an eye on her.

All my chicks will be 17 weeks old tomorrow. Of my 6 chicks, my Golden Comet, Barred Rock, and my Welsummer have started the squat. Yesterday my Golden Comet became restless and more attached to me than usual. This morning she is clucking loud and restless and appears to be trying to find where she wants to lay. She keeps flying up to me wanting me to constantly hold her. I put her nose to one of the nesting boxes. She went in and appears to be making a nest of the straw in the box. She is young to lay. Do they do this awhile preparing before they actually lay?

 

[rosemarythyme]

This morning she is clucking loud and restless and appears to be trying to find where she wants to lay. She keeps flying up to me wanting me to constantly hold her. I put her nose to one of the nesting boxes. She went in and appears to be making a nest of the straw in the box. She is young to lay. Do they do this awhile preparing before they actually lay?

Yes she could be close to laying. They often scout out possible laying sites before they start.

 

[aart]

All my chicks will be 17 weeks old tomorrow. Of my 6 chicks, my Golden Comet, Barred Rock, and my Welsummer have started the squat. Yesterday my Golden Comet became restless and more attached to me than usual. This morning she is clucking loud and restless and appears to be trying to find where she wants to lay. She keeps flying up to me wanting me to constantly hold her. I put her nose to one of the nesting boxes. She went in and appears to be making a nest of the straw in the box. She is young to lay. Do they do this awhile preparing before they actually lay?

17 weeks is not too young for a comet.
She definitely sounds ready to lay.
You did good putting her in the nest.

 

[hsj07]

17 weeks is not too young for a comet.
She definitely sounds ready to lay.
You did good putting her in the nest.

She laid her first egg yesterday afternoon on the ground right behind beside me and jumped up on my lap as to say "I did it"

 

[LaFleche]

She laid her first egg yesterday afternoon on the ground right behind beside me and jumped up on my lap as to say "I did it"

First eggs are always special!