Esther and Winnie~ Emerald ~ Momma Time~ UH-OH Egg Overload P46

[barg]

Quote:
Yeah, she is stressed but I'm really looking for the comb development thing to happen, under the assumption that it will precede any egg laying part by several weeks, and that, the comb devlopment won't be effected by stress?

How long before egg laying did your chickens combs undergo a drastic change?
And again, how old were they when their combs had the big change.

Or am I assumeing too much from my other chickens, is the change not as dramitic and quick in other breeds as it is in Aussies and Dom's?

 

[thndrdancr]

Her comb did some weird growing, almost overnight it seemed. It didnt do anything but get red for a long time, then those last 3 weeks, it grew by leaps and bounds, very noticeable almost from day to day. Red's was gradual, but Fussy's over about a 3 to 4 week time did alot.
I could tell more tho by the way they walked and how their hindquarters looked. I was able to tell when they would lay to the day on Red, but Fussy fooled me by about 4 or 5. You might remember my posts.

They got real round on their bottoms, their feathers stuck out on their outer legs (like bloomers)! That was more indicative for me than the comb thing or the squatting.
Oh, by the way, is she squatting when you go to pick her up yet or not? That was not an indication for Red, as she did that from about 13 weeks, but with Fussy it was very indicative.

 

[barg]

Quote:
So i'm still unclear, did their combs change After they started to lay and not before?

I just went back and looked at my older chickens pictures and their comb development was a little more gradual then I remebered but still, they had well developed combs Before they started to lay, and neither Esther or Winnie have combs that have done much devlopment at all.

As for squating, thats almost impossible to check, by the time I get the door open on the coop, the older girls have run to the door and the younger ones run away.

 

[barg]

Again, here is what i'm talking about, primarily.

Hazel 17 weeks / Winnie 21 weeks / Domineak 21 weeks / Esther 21 weeks

When my older girls were doing the major change my camera was broken( some may remeber that part of the saga)
Even at 17 weeks old the dominiques showed much more development in their combs then Winnie or Esther at 21 weeks.

Realisticly, it was a month after my older girls combs changed that they started to lay.
The pic of Domineak above, was taken when she first started to lay and she is actully in the nest box in the pic.

Winnie has a rosecomb, just like the dominiques and obviously is showing some red, but thats been true for a very long time, and her wattles have slowly grown, but there is no indication of her comb getting bigger.

Esther does not show any red coloring nor has her comb grown at all.

And for the record: despite her impressive comb, hazel still isnt laying any eggs.
Which leads me back to my questions as stated on the former page.
I probably should have specified that my use of the word "mature" was meant in reference to comb development.
1) When exactly do Wyandottes mature
2) When exactly do EE's mature
I knew that they didnt mature as fast as my other chickens, but I kinda expected them to start showing some signs by now.

3) Is there a way to get a 30 week old hen, that isnt laying, to reconsider her position on the subject. specifically Hazel the Dominique.

Thanks to those who have responded on the laying part, although I didn't get anyone that chimed in on wyandottes in that regard so, that question is still open.

I realise that my chances of getting a respoince is low since there are only a few of you responding these days

Thanks you guys

 

[Smoky73]

I have a wyandotte too that is probably about the same age as yours. Her comb and wattles have been red for at least a month or two and still, no eggs.

I have no idea. I will try to post a picture later of mine.
Why can I not ever see your pictures anymore???

 

[rosyposyosy]

I went to a wedding (2 days) and when I got back my EE's comb was bigger by about 3/4 a centimeter. Way redder too. This is about a week and half before she started laying. I would say 20 weeks, except it could be more or less, since months aren't exactly 4 weeks.

 

[barg]

Quote:
Quote:
Right click on the picture and hit "show Picture"

 

[Smoky73]

The pics still do not show up. It just goes back to the URL and red X of death


Anyway, here is a pic of my Wyandotte who is also still not laying

Doesnt she look also like she should be laying????

 

[barg]

Quote:
How old is she exactly.

My older girls looked like that for a month before they started to lay.

Neither Winnie nor Esther look at all like they are getting ready to lay, but yours definatly does, the comb on your Wyandotte is definatly developed, unlike my Esther and Winnies.

Esther and Winnie will be 22 weeks old tomarrow.
Do you have a hatch date or know how many weeks old yours is?

Added: and the wattles on yours are much more developed too.

 

[3peeps]

Alright, well, I've probably missed some details in the posts and questions, but I have a laying Wyandotte so I'll chime in.

Mine started laying at 20 weeks on October 23rd. Her first egg was shell-less, she waited a few days, then laid her first "normal" egg, which turned out to be a double-yolker.

Her comb started to change several weeks before laying, but it REALLY became noticeable right around the time of laying...within a few days. She just "looked" more henny. Also, her bottom got a lot fluffier, and when I held her and felt her belly, it was much softer and broader. I did check her vent by sort of tipping her over and carefully peeking at it, which felt a bit pornographic, but it was a valuable lesson, because it did definitely look different than my other two birds who were not nearly as close to laying. It was bigger and more open, not puckery. She also squatted for me one day when I inadvertently reached over her for something. One week later, she layed her first egg.

My other birds, a orpington and an australorp, also developed very red combs within a few days of laying. By red, I mean that if I'm standing in my kitchen and look out the window, they look fully bright red, like the pictures in books. Before, they were red but sort of a "dry" red...not the waxy, rich red they are now....like they suddenly plumped up and put some chapstick on or something. I think the combs are taller, also. Again, their bottoms got very fluffy (bell-bottomy) and wider within a few days of laying, maybe a bit sooner.

Another thing is, I provide extra light. Not a lot, just an extra hour or two in the morning and about an extra hour at night. I think you do, too, right? That was the whole funny story about the "out of place" light.

Also, I think it's quite possible - reguarding your domineaque - that laying may be stalled because of fall. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but some birds who come of laying age in the fall (those hatched in spring/early summer) can either be sporadic layers the first fall, or put off laying entirely until the following spring.

My eggs are all pretty small right now, from all the birds, except for the double-yolkers which happen after a skipped day or two. My wyandotte has laid 12 eggs since October 26th...the day of her first hard-shelled egg.

Hope this helps.