Buffs ready to lay behaviour

[stephmelsh]

Hello! New chicken mom here. Our buffs are around 18 weeks old, and some have very red combs and wattles - don't think we have any roosters.. They do the squat when I go to pet their back. My question is - the last few days they have spent more time during the day in their coop. It looks like they are all just laying in there and come out when I go to check. Does going into their coop more often during the day mean they are going to lay soon?

 

[sourland]

Not necessarily unless they are checking out the nest boxes. Any possibility there is an aerial predator in the area?

 

[stephmelsh]

Yes, we do have vultures flying around at the moment. Run is secured with wire on top and a tarp over some, but we recently moved them to their larger run (previous one was completely covered) so maybe they are seeing those and deciding to go into their coop. Thanks for the info!! Although I was hoping for the first egg