Chickens squatting. Eggs soon?

[Sam peoples]

Hi everyone, I have 7 pullets around 19 weeks old and three of them are starting to get larger redder combs and waddles. For a while when I go to pick them up have been squatting. Will they be laying soon? I will add some pictures of their faces. 1 black sex link, 1 golden laced Wyandotte, and 1 brown leghorn.

 

[TooCheep]

Yup. That is a sign that they are getting close. They should start within the next couple of weeks.

You might want to put fake eggs or golf balls in the nest boxes. They may not lay there the first time or two as "that feeling" is new to them. However, chickens like to lay where others have already deposited eggs and they will quickly figure out that they should lay in the boxes.

Nice looking birds!

 

[Sam peoples]

Yup. That is a sign that they are getting close. They should start within the next couple of weeks.

You might want to put fake eggs or golf balls in the nest boxes. They may not lay there the first time or two as "that feeling" is new to them. However, chickens like to lay where others have already deposited eggs and they will quickly figure out that they should lay in the boxes.

Great, thanks. I have other 2 year old laying hens that do lay in our nesting boxes so there are usually eggs in the nesting boxes. Also the pullets have been scratching out the straw in the nesting boxes which is annoying but I have heard is a good sign as far as them laying soon.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also the pullets have been scratching out the straw in the nesting boxes which is annoying but I have heard is a good sign as far as them laying soon.

Yes, that's also a very good indicator that they're close.