Close to laying???

[diana507]

I have 12 isa browns. A few of them when I pet them they squat and have been for a few weeks. Their faces are turning red. The past 2 days they have been flying up on the edge of the nest boxes that I have had boards sitting in so they can't get in them. They seem to be checking them out and going up on the ramp to the poop board and standing there staring at the nest boxes. I don't know when I should open them up or wait till I see the first egg. They also have been starting some of the egg song and acting different this week, kinda restless. I'm new to chickens and have read alot of people getting eggs at 14 weeks for this breed. Maybe I'm just eager and they are teasing me. Haha so wait for the first egg or when should I open them. They are 13 weeks old.

 

[diana507]

 

[aart]

Yup open those nests up!
How old are they?
Make sure they don't sleep in the nests at night, just check after dark or as they go to roost.
Your roost look high enough to to preclude that(nice setup btw) but you never know and it can be a hard habit to break.

My 'new layer' notes:
New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

Signs of onset of lay---
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.

2 bony points on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[diana507]

They turned 13 weeks on friday. So they are young. But I know some people that their isa browns laid at 14 and 15 weeks. The roosting I don't think will be a problem. I have 6 that sleep up in the eves above the roost and the other 6 on the roost. Hopefully as they grow a little more they will stop going in the eves to roost. They are securely hardware clothed in though in the eves. But flying up in there and hitting the rafters they knock out feathers. Haha

 

[diana507]

I thought for my first coop it came out nice. Thanks by the way. I read so much on this site for quite a few weeks and talked to people in the maine thread before I built the coop. I took what everyone said into consideration and thought about what would work good for me. I couldn't be happier with it. It's so secure, there is nothing getting in there at night.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You should think about 1/2 inch hardwire to cover the eave vents. It'd stop the roosting there and more importantly save the flock from weasels.

 

[diana507]

The outside of the eves are hardware clothed very securely. Just not the inside of the eves.

 

[diana507]

Should I do the inside too? I figured eventually they will stop going up there especially when colder weather comes.

 

[aart]

Should I do the inside too? I figured eventually they will stop going up there especially when colder weather comes.

I did the outside of my eaves too with HC, it's secure.

You might want attach chicken wire to the bottoms of the rafters,
maybe just out a foot or two,
to keep the birds from roosting on the top of the walls near the eaves.

They probably will stop roosting there come winter, but it would force them to use the roost..... and poop boards.

Might even want to lower the roost a tad...and might want to tack some cardboard up near the eaves to block and winter winds from the roost area.

Just some thoughts.

 

[diana507]

I did the outside of my eaves too with HC, it's secure.

You might want attach chicken wire to the bottoms of the rafters,
maybe just out a foot or two,
to keep the birds from roosting on the top of the walls near the eaves.

They probably will stop roosting there come winter, but it would force them to use the roost..... and poop boards.

Might even want to lower the roost a tad...and might want to tack some cardboard up near the eaves to block and winter winds from the roost area.

Just some thoughts.

I plan on blocking the eves some in the winter. I will chicken wire the inside of the eves to keep them out. The other ones roost and they use it alot during the day of they want a nap.