Do these Orp hens look close to laying? *UPDATED SHE LAID AN EGG!!!!*

[PaintedMeadows]

OPIE, that is hilarious!! My daughter was worried about that but I told her it wouldn't happen that way. I guess I have to correct myself! lol. I agree on the foaling. I have minis and had 4 foals this year. 2 colts and 2 fillies. Next year have 5 due. All are doing well as well as the mommas thank goodness!! I can't wait for our first chick hatch. lol. I'll keep you updated on the hens. Also thank you for the compliments on the girls. We have 7 buffs, 1 dark brahma, 2 black australorpes and 2 ees. There are the 2 buffs that have the red combs and waddles and the rest are still pink and almost nonexistant Soon I am going to run out and do the egg check. They are free range so she could lay pretty well anywhere. What fun!!

 

[OPIE]

Oh yea, looking for the eggs is th fun part, I have some that lay in the morning, and some later in the afternoon, I get the ones in the morning and my 10 year old daughter gets the ones in the afternoon. She loves to go in and sit with the chickens and just hang out.

 

[cmom]

Squatting is submissive behavior. If a bird squats for you she is saying in body language that she is submitting to you. They will squat for Roo's. My girls started laying at 17 weeks and their combs were very red. The last to start laying was 27 weeks. They were all from the same hatch.

 

[kalaim]

Thanks for all this info! I just commented to my husband that one of our new cochin bantams comb turned really red!

I assumed maybe it was stress or something, she is having trouble keeping her tail feathers! The others keep plucking them out as soon as they grow in, very frustrating!

Now this squatting? I'll have to look for this.

They are only about 13 weeks old though so I think I have a while to wait.
Unless they are older than what I was told when I bought them!

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Kalaim, I am so glad this thread is helping you out too. I still haven't found the first egg but hopefully soon. None of the others seem close yet. No open pelvic bones or red combs to speak of so I think Scuttlebutt will be the first.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

OK so these girls are 19 1/2 weeks old now. Scuttlebutt has a large red comb, 3 fingers fit easily between her pelvic bones, she squats even if you look at her and today she swooshed the hay around into a nest but I still can't find any eggs. Hopefully soon. What do you all think? Here are pictures of her and her nest. Anything else I can check for?

 

[the1much]

nopers,, most are squatting when their laying,, not walking around

 

[Reinbeau]

Scuttlebutt looks like my Abby and Queenie, neither one is laying yet, they're twenty weeks old today.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Okie dokie. I am anxiously awaiting my first egg ever!!

I really wish then came with pop up timers to tell you exactly when they are going to start to lay. I worry this gal may lay out in the grass as they are free range. Oh well, I am just going to take the nest in the laying box as a good sign. Thanks all!

 

[speckledhen]

I have a Buff Orpington that is 25 weeks old and her comb and wattles are almost non-existent. I know she's from a breeder and they mature more slowly than hatchery birds, but it's amazing the difference in the combs. No eggs yet, either. I'd say you'll get an egg within the next week. See my Nugget? She's larger than my almost three year old hatchery Orps.