Do These Chickens Look Close To Laying Eggs *UPDATED WITH MORE PICS*

[countrygirl911]

Hi i was wondering if these four girls look like they will lay soon i know the other 5 of my girls will be later then them becasue they are about 3 weeks difference in age these i want to say are 12 weeks old but really not sure becasue the co op really did not know the exact age any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[sourland]

They have a while to go yet. (Maybe as much as 6 to 8 weeks.) Their combs and wattles will enlarge dramatically and turn a bright red, they will start singing, and they will start squatting for "rooster" figures.

 

[Baylen]

when you say "singing" is it like a long croaky groanish sound? I don't know how else to describe it.

 

[Mrs. K]

no not a croaky sound, more of a cackle, kind of indignant.

signs of laying, bright yellow legs, bright red comb. I thought the barred hen in the second picture looked the oldest to me, but the light from the camera can be deceiving.

Also the egg squat, when you come up to them, instead of dashing out of your way, they crouch down and spread their wings out a bit and kind of freeze, allowing you to touch them easily.

Mrs.K

 

[countrygirl911]

the BR in the second pic is that red but her sister is not when i bought them they already had some of their feathers on their wings cooming inhere is a pic of them when i first got them on 05/08/2010 if you look closley you could see the wing feathers that they alread had on them

a pic of them on 05/20/2010 only 12 days later

A pic of my americaunas on the day that i got them 05/20/2010

A pic of my BLS/Black Stars when i got them on 05/21/2010

If you could please help me determine a close age that they are so i know when i amd to expect the first egg expecially from the first 5 older ones also when do i need to switch to layer pellets and give them grit and oyster shells any help will be greatly appreciated

 

[Lotsapaints]

Your Black Stars might be the first to lay at 16 to 18 weeks the others could wait until 20 to 24 weeks. When their combs get bigger and redder you could start adding some layer pellets to their food that you have them on now when they start setting in the box and singing like they laid an egg you could add a container with oyster shell and when they finally lay eggs you can change them over to layer pellets all the way. Right now they have a ways to go before they are ready but they do change quickly and then make you wait

 

[claychickens]

My barred rock bantams started laying at 17 weeks to the day. Some told me it was because I had a heat lamp in the hen house and the added light caused to start laying early. I have 4 Australorps now that are 25 weeks old and not a egg in sight. Hmmm Anybody have Australorps and are they loud or aggressive. Mine are alot louder than My BRB.