Changing color of spikes, waddle and earlobes??

[chickie<3]

Both my barred rocks are 16 weeks old..1 is not red at all yet and one has red waddle, earlobes and spikes..but sometimes its flaming red and sometimes it's not so red. Is it related to their mood? Is the red a sign she is almost ready to lay?

 

[Kittymomma]

Sounds like she's getting close to laying

 

[dee88]

My 5 pullets are almost 18 weeks old and they are all getting the red combs & wattles, some redder and larger than others. I also notice the color going lighter to darker, I was thinking it had to do with the weather. When it's hot vs. cooler it seems their color is darker, when they relax and get cooler, they tend to be lighter red. I'm waiting for mine to lay too! From what I've seen on this website, chickens can start laying at around 18 wks but sometimes it can be 25 wks! I've seen one person say their hen laid at 14 wks! That seems a little young! I think the norm is about 20 wks. Good Luck! Let me know when you get your first egg and I'll let you know!

 

[chickie<3]

DEE88...I read about the 14 week old laying too..thats crazy. I just wrote on a different post...THIS IS SICK..it's like anticipating a spectacular vacation u planned for over a year..but its not a vacation..IT'S AN EGG!! and i cant wait til my baby lays an egg..i will not be able to control myself. I will def let u know..and please let me know when urs lay..u prob will lay b4 me...so i can b excited 4 u then know mine are just behind urs.

 

[Yazzo]

Well, as everyone else already said, it's just her about to lay, but I'm almost certain it's related to 'mood' too. For example, I have a turkin hen whose neck and face is pale most of the time, but turns a bright red when she gets exited or 'indignant', such as when you pick her up.

 

[schatze17]

Well, we have 4 Barred Rocks that are about 22-23 weeks old. One started laying a couple weeks ago, and she is the one with the palest looking comb, waddle and earlobes. The other three are much redder and haven't started laying yet.

 

[dee88]

I guess you never can tell, red comb, white comb, white wattle, red wattle, no eggs, no eggs, no eggs...

 

[Tomhusker]

My BR's are 21 weeks old and have not started laying yet. I notice that the color began changing according to their mood, from a pale pink/orange when they are relaxed and calm to a deep red when they are agitated or nervous. Now I have a couple who are a darker red all of the time, though none are squatting. They all did spend a bit of time inside the coop this morning and my wife said they were raising quite a fuss, so hopefully they were checking out the new nesting box and practicing singing the egg song to each other.