Could she be laying? She doesn't "look" ready!

[SheltonDHW]

I have 2 Blue Splash Marans that I got in mid-August. I was told they were 20-ish weeks. One of them started laying the last day of August. She has a nice big cherry red comb & waddles. Her sister still looks young, although her comb and waddles are starting to grow, but they still are pink.

I caught the younger looking one in the nest box today. I came back 15-20 minutes later and there was a pretty dark brown egg. Could she be laying or is it more probable that there was already an egg in there (it was not warm) and she was sitting on it. She was scratching around in there in circles, making the nest round...

 

[barredrockmama]

I had two of my barred rocks start laying at 18 weeks this year so it's possible.

 

[SheltonDHW]

Did they look like your avatar pic? Or did they still look "young"?

 

[gritsar]

I have two hens that never developed the amount of comb and wattles their sisters have, but they lay nonetheless. Umm, that is, when they're not molting.