First Egg Countdown

[Flowerbh]

Hi! I'm new to chickens. Our hens turned 20 weeks old on Thursday (we have 2, plus 2 Roos who will be meeting the freezer soon) They are Dominique/Rhode Island Red crosses. I was wondering if there were any signs that they are about to start laying that I can look for? We are getting impatient around here

Your chickens wattles and combs should turn red. About 7 -10 days before they start laying, they will start squatting for you. It's when you go to pet them or pick them up, they will squat down. This is a submissive gesture. (They take this position when a rooster approaches them) My RIR was about 22-23 weeks old before she started laying.....but they are all different. Isn't it fun to know that soon you will be having eggs!!!

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Your chickens wattles and combs should turn red.  About  7 -10 days before they start laying, they will start squatting for you.  It's when you go to pet them or pick them up, they will squat down.  This is a submissive gesture.  (They take this position when a rooster approaches them)  My RIR was about 22-23 weeks old before she started laying.....but they are all different.  Isn't it fun to know that soon you will be having eggs!!!

The red wattle and comb thing, is this true for wyandottes too? The wyandottes combs are so small but they are getting red. They're 19 weeks old

 

[redrstr29]

Chickengirl, we're in the same bOAST MY GIRLS ARE REDSTARS AND WHITE leghorns and should be laying any day lol im so impatient, but yes it is true for wyandottes also, but more so the face and ears look for them to be red, but I had SLW and GLW they started laying around 6 months they had been hatched in late fall and got my first in in late may the heritage breeds are slower to mature but are better layers later in life, they do not burn out as quick.

 

[redrstr29]

Happy Easter everyone....we just had an egg fight here my gf tricked me by putting an egg in the nest box lol and lefty me to find it..... lol i was excited at first but as i was walking toward the house I thought to my self it could be a joke lol so I grabbed 4 more out the fridge and tricked her lol then we through em at each other....yup italian hillbillies in ct lol

 

[Flowerbh]

Happy Easter everyone....we just had an egg fight here my gf tricked me by putting an egg in the nest box lol and lefty me to find it..... lol i was excited at first but as i was walking toward the house I thought to my self it could be a joke lol so I grabbed 4 more out the fridge and tricked her lol then we through em at each other....yup italian hillbillies in ct lol

hahahah....I know about that! My husband tricked me and put a hugh smooth potatoe in the nest and half buried it so it really looked like a monster egg. I thought at first it was a triple yolker until I hear laughter from the porch! Urrrr......not a nice thing to do when you are waiting for first eggs!

 

[redrstr29]

i was sooooo ****** lol but got over quick

 

[fingbob]

22 Weeks and still no eggs!

It should be anytime now, right?

 

[redrstr29]

Me neither im at 20 weeks with red stars and leghorns,,,, it looks like we got late bloomers hahah

 

[Kennas Mom10]

We've had red wattles and combs for a while now. Not sure about the squatting thing though...our girls are shy and usually run from us (mostly because my 3 year old used to chase them and catch them, she has been banned from the run now). We are going to be more careful with our next chicks that we plan to get in May. The roosters have been showing interest in the ladies for the past week or two.

 

[redrstr29]

What kind of girls do you have?? lol Theyll get used to your voice sooner or later...your their food supply mine are shy too but Im quick and caight a few squatts who the heck knows ......i never had red stars or leghorns take this long (20 weeks) but eventually itll have to happen