Easter eggers have Combs? Close to laying?

[Cklass90]

I have 2 Easter egger chickens which are 20 weeks old. I'm told one of the ways to tell if theyre getting ready to lay is how red their faces are...but I don't really know how red is red enough! Also they don't have combs? I have some younger chickens of different kinds and they all seem to have combs?

 

[Cklass90]

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Yes Easter Eggers have combs. All chickens have combs. Their faces will redden up soon. Give them time. Make sure you’re feeding them a proper diet.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Easter Eggers tend to have pea combs which can be a lot smaller. Yours combs and faces look pretty pale so you still have some time. Have they been squatting when you go near them, have they been going into your egg boxes? Those are other good signs that they are ready to lay.

 

[Cklass90]

Easter Eggers tend to have pea combs which can be a lot smaller. Yours combs and faces look pretty pale so you still have some time. Have they been squatting when you go near them, have they been going into your egg boxes? Those are other good signs that they are ready to lay.

These 2 are not at all friendly if I try to go near them they move away as fast as possible so I can't do the squatting thing like all my other chickens. Some of my other chickens seem to have bigger/redder combs despite being a good 5 weeks younger! At the moment the nesting box is a game for can we dump all the straw out but that might be the younger ones. Would they sleep in them or just go in there early am?

 

[PachecoPeeps]

These 2 are not at all friendly if I try to go near them they move away as fast as possible so I can't do the squatting thing like all my other chickens. Some of my other chickens seem to have bigger/redder combs despite being a good 5 weeks younger! At the moment the nesting box is a game for can we dump all the straw out but that might be the younger ones. Would they sleep in them or just go in there early am?

Hopefully once they start laying they will get more friendly. Most pullets get nicer over time. Usually they will go in to the boxes and do kind of a trial run or will practice creating a nest. They may even sit in them for awhile. I noticed this year with my pullets they started going in the boxes about. Week or two before they were actually ready.

 

[aart]

At the moment the nesting box is a game for can we dump all the straw out but that might be the younger ones. Would they sleep in them or just go in there early am?

Messing the nest bedding is a sure sign laying is imminent.
Make sure your nest fronts are a good 4-6" high to reduce the 'straw dumping'.
They should not sleep in nests, leads to poopy eggs.
Laying does not only occur first thing in the morning, but throughout the day, especially when they firs start.

 

[Cklass90]

Messing the nest bedding is a sure sign laying is imminent.
Make sure your nest fronts are a good 4-6" high to reduce the 'straw dumping'.
They should not sleep in nests, leads to poopy eggs.
Laying does not only occur first thing in the morning, but throughout the day, especially when they firs start.

Oh thank you that is so helpful! They have sort of low buckets on a shelf to lay in...perhaps I should get proper nesting boxes and mount them on the wall

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh thank you that is so helpful! They have sort of low buckets on a shelf to lay in...perhaps I should get proper nesting boxes and mount them on the wall

Buckets are fine as long as they're large enough, it doesn't have to be an actual box, though adding a lip is still a good idea, just so bedding and eggs don't get thrown out.

 

[Cklass90]

Buckets are fine as long as they're large enough, it doesn't have to be an actual box, though adding a lip is still a good idea, just so bedding and eggs don't get thrown out.

My grandpa passed away and my grandma said I could take anything from their chicken coop as long as I didn't make her get chickens ever again! So I got a super nice fancy wall mounted nesting box thing. Just had to clean super old poop off it which was nasty nasty