Could it be

[zazouse]

I have several white female peas that will be a year old the end of this month, i have been seeing one of them squatting every time a male walks up behind her, i can't tell them apart so they all could be squatting for all i know, anyhow one of my white girls has been wondering off by herself into the woods for the last few days, could she be looking for a place to lay at this early age? i am hoping not as she is so young.
She is not sick, eats good looks good she just seems to go off by herself , where as they usually stay together for the most part or split into 2 groups.

I saw this behavior in the 3 year old hen before i lost her to internal laying so i am just wondering if i am seeing the same thing or is something else going on

PS my pied pair that are coming a year this month have been trying to mate but the other males come running every time he lets out his air horn sound and ends up being a pile a Peas when the dust settles, it's hilarious

Thanks for looking

 

[NateinFL]

Hey Zaz! I have an interesting situation as well. My yearling peahen is now showing lots of attention to Morrison, her Dad, since I got rid of the Mother. Not sure if she will lay or not but I can tell you that when they are going to lay, their wings drop below the tail and they start panting a lot, even when it's not hot out. My Cricket recently abandoned her 3 month old babies and is now breeding with Morrison everyday.

Here's a pic of what she looks like...no doubt she will be laying an egg the next day or so. She is walking around like she is on a mission. And she beats everybody else up in the process. The dropped wings are a sure sign of egg-laying.

 

[zazouse]

Pretty hen Nathhowe is she a dark pied?
Heck as hot as it is they are all dropping their wings, but i watched her and while she is out by herself she did not have her wings dropped nor was she panting, i did notice she would go over and set by the geese at the dry creek i keep the hose running in, then she got back up and rejoined the flock about 15 minuets later.

I hope she does not start laying cause the eggs will go to waist because they will not be fertile

 

[Kev]

They could be fertile if she is laying. Fertile yearlings is not unheard of.

If her wandering times are in the afternoon/evenings could be she's looking for nest or already has one and is just doing the 'agitated behavior' they do before laying an egg. Also another hint is a bump over the pelvic region, I see that on some hens on the day they are going to lay an egg.

If you find a nest, go ahead and incubate the eggs. No harm in trying...

 

[zazouse]

She has got to be looking for a place to lay, she has left the flock 3 more times sense my last post and this last time she wandered way back past the safe zone, and it is getting dark in the woods so i herded her back but she was not happy about it and is up on the green house away from the rest of the peas now..
I noticed as i watched her from a distance that she was going under brush and sitting down for about 5 minutes and then would wonder around and do it again.
Oh and now she is panting and has her wings dropped.
I will set her eggs under a broody but i do not think they will develop, my oldest male is almost 2 and only has one measly eye feather, really it don't even have an eye .

She is getting her fill of muskeydines in that brush.

 

[zazouse]

Well heck, i checked on her earlier and she was back out within the rest of the flock,went out to feed them a minute ago and she was gone, found her back in the woods wondering around, at least she is closer to the safe zone so i am gonna leave her alone and hope she makes it in to roost.
Darn peas they are the only critter here i got to babysit, this morning i just had a feeling so i went and checked the drive and there they were following a cow bird, had to go get behind them on the 4-wheeler and head them back home, funny thing is it was just the hens none of the males were down there.
It's a funny site to see 7 peahens running down the middle of the drive followed by the 4-wheeler, i need to bring the camera next time.

click to enlarge

 

[frenchblackcopper]

As hot and humid as it is here today they would have passed out from exhaustion easily

 

[AugeredIn]

I would say at least half of my yearlings lay in the first year. I don't think it is that unusual in the south. If they happen to be in with a fertile male, I will pick them up and incubate them, but it is rare to have one be fertile.

 

[zazouse]

She just now came walking back to the safe zone, she seems very restless, she was not panting when she got up to the feeder but then she started again and dropped them wings, is this a sign?

Frenchy all my flocks are up in the roosting area having a siesta every day around noon.

 

[zazouse]

I would say at least half of my yearlings lay in the first year. I don't think it is that unusual in the south. If they happen to be in with a fertile male, I will pick them up and incubate them, but it is rare to have one be fertile.

Sure wished she wasn't gonna be laying so young, i have seen geese eggbound a few times when they started laying real early, just hope it don't happen to peas.