I'm sure this has been asked before and I apologize in advance!
My chickens range in age about 14-17 weeks old.
What are some signs that my older girls are getting ready to lay? Are there any physical changes? Behavioral?
I'm going to open up the nesting boxes this weekend for them to check out. They have been roosting on their bars since we put them in their coop about 8 weeks ago.
I know my younger ones aren't going to lay anytime soon.
Welcome to BYC...and wooohooo on close to POL(Point Of Lay)!
Perfect time to open the nests.
You'll have to be vigilant to make sure no one starts sleeping in the nests,
bad habit you want to nip in the bud.
Might have to do a bit of 're-training' by moving them from the nests to the roost after dark or covering the nests an hour before roost time then uncovering after dark or at sunrise.
My 'new layers' blurb:
New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying, spreading the bedding everywhere. They will scratch around a bit less in nest as they get used to the routine. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.
Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
Tho not all birds will do this, especially if there's a cockbird in the flock.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.
Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!
Vent Appearance:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying.
Pelvic Points, feel for the 2 bony points(pelvic bones F-F) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.
(Spacing is relative with chickens size and humans finger size.)
