cranky, vocal, and squatting...not long now??

[tommysgirl]

I have 7 pullets who turned 19 weeks old yesterday. Among the 7 are two Red Stars. One of them has been acting pretty aggressive for about two weeks, charging up and pecking at my fingers and feet. This started right around the time she got her first meal worms from my hand so I think she might think a) I always carry them around so she's gonna go for it and be first to get one and b) that the veins in my feet may look like worms to her so she pecks at them for that reason. Regardless when she does it I pick her up and cart her around under my arm for a bit and she has been much better the last few days.

Anyway She started squatting too but yesterday she squatted then sort of rocked back and forth on her feet. This morning she was standing around at breakfast time beak open and chirping. The other girls looked at her with cocked heads like she had totally gone around the bend and one gave her a peck like "snap out of it!". I had heard the chirp from her before but this time it was pretty non-stop.

Her comb and wattle are bright red and have been for a few weeks, can I expect an egg soon?

Interestingly, at least to me, the other red star has shown none of these signs but one of the Delawares is doing a bit of squatting and her comb and wattles are darker that her Delaware sister's are.

 

[Den in Penn]

Eggs soon. Chickens like people mature at different rates.

 

[tommysgirl]

They same day I posted this I came home to find the FIRST EGG in the nesting box! She has laid one a day since

They are small but getting gradually larger. I like the little ones though they are the perfect size for my breakfast. Thanks for the reply Den in Pen pretty sure the others are all going to be starting to lay over the next month or so.

Also, the aggressive behavior has stopped. If there's such a thing as Pre Egg Syndrome she sure had it.