Bloomers?????

[CoyoteMagic]

My girls are just about 20 weeks old and I am going bonkers going out every day looking for eggs.

I haven't been spending much time with them since I've been back to work (out the door at 6:30am and back home around 4:30pm) I've really noticed some changes in a few of them. My "headless chicken" Tessy, has even started developing her comb.

Question is, I've noticed one of my black sexies has developed Bloomers (for lack of a better word) She seems fuller in the rump. Is this a sign that she may be laying soon? Her comb is really huge and red now compared to what it was a back in late July.

None of them have started doing the squatting I've hear people talking about. These days it's just B****, B****, B****, B****, B****!!! Because they can't get out and free-range all day.

 

[jessied1227]

My BSLs were the first to get the "bloomers" you talk about, and the first to lay. I never noticed my girls really start to squat for me until I had found my first egg. Now they all do it.

I noticed the comb go really red a week or two before I got my first egg.

It does make you nuts waiting, though. I've been getting eggs for about a month, and it's still exciting to go out to the coop every day and pick up those eggs.

Hopefully you'll have your first eggs soon!!
Jess

 

[speckledhen]

I call them their petticoats, LOL. Reminds me of the old crinoline petticoats my mom made me wear as a little girl. Right before they lay, their bottoms become BELLBOTTOMS and it seems so sudden. I have two Barred Rock girls I'm watching right now that are being mated by the rooster, have bright red combs and have gotten much wider, but no eggs yet. They are 20 weeks now.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Only "rooster" around here is the hubby, lol.

It's really strange the things you notice when you are away from them just a bit. I have 3 that have developed the "bloomer/petticoats" all black sexies. My RIR's don't seem to have them or at least not yet.

And Tessy, is just Tessy! She has started flying a lot more. Seems to be the only way she can keep up with the others. Head tucked to her chest and watching where she is going with one eye. But DANG! She flys about 5-6ft distance at a time!! I'm worried that she is going to fly into something and worried that when it comes time for her to lay.

Thanks for ya'lls help, glad I'm not seeing things here, lol.