First Egg Countdown

[annewandering]

One of mine laid a pretty little brown egg today. She is about 19 weeks old and a black star if I am guessing right on the one that laid it. More red and larger comb and wattles. So glad they are finally starting to lay. Its been a long wait or so it seems!

 

[chickadee5002]

One of mine laid a pretty little brown egg today. She is about 19 weeks old and a black star if I am guessing right on the one that laid it. More red and larger comb and wattles. So glad they are finally starting to lay. Its been a long wait or so it seems! 

Yay! . Congrats!

 

[KelsiNS]

Alice and Rosie, 18 and 19 weeks. I have taken to bribing them. "You'll get grasshoppers if you squat! Watermelon if you turn red! PLEEEASE!?" Neither one of them ever shut up, so i'm waiting on a better sign.

Rosie toys with me by making dummy nests everywhere, then making her BAAAAWWWWWWK dinosaur noise after i have checked every single one. The laughter. It taunts me.

Also? Nest boxes are OUT. The person who built them into tge coop obviously wanted bantams, as no amount of contortionism will fit these beasts into them. As a bonus, if i rip them out, a wall goes with them. Meh, free coop for 41 chickens, what did i expect?

The good news is the run+coop is not so large i will search for hours. Now if they will just ACT like they are going to lay someday....

Maybe my 7 and 8 week old babies wont be sostubborn when they grow up!

 

[Happy Chooks]

My chickens are now 17 weeks old and I'm really really ready for some eggs!!
I have pourrred the feed into them, fed them treats (tomatoes, watermellons, sweet peppers, carrot tops) from the garden... It is time. !!!

I have:
Ameracaunas
Black Minorcas
GL Wyandottes
Red leghorns
Naked Necks
Speckled Sussex

How old were yours of these breeds when they finally started laying? The naked necks are the only ones I've had in the past. Are any of these earlier or later layers than average? My husband teases me that we'll be able to retire on egg money as soon as they start laying....

You probably have a few more weeks yet. But you are getting closer every day.

What does the squatting mean? It's cute.

It means they are sexually mature for mating by the rooster. With sexual maturity comes eggs for reproduction.

One of mine laid a pretty little brown egg today. She is about 19 weeks old and a black star if I am guessing right on the one that laid it. More red and larger comb and wattles. So glad they are finally starting to lay. Its been a long wait or so it seems!

Congrats!

Alice and Rosie, 18 and 19 weeks. I have taken to bribing them. "You'll get grasshoppers if you squat! Watermelon if you turn red! PLEEEASE!?" Neither one of them ever shut up, so i'm waiting on a better sign.

Rosie toys with me by making dummy nests everywhere, then making her BAAAAWWWWWWK dinosaur noise after i have checked every single one. The laughter. It taunts me.

Also? Nest boxes are OUT. The person who built them into tge coop obviously wanted bantams, as no amount of contortionism will fit these beasts into them. As a bonus, if i rip them out, a wall goes with them. Meh, free coop for 41 chickens, what did i expect?

The good news is the run+coop is not so large i will search for hours. Now if they will just ACT like they are going to lay someday....

Maybe my 7 and 8 week old babies wont be sostubborn when they grow up!

Practicing nesting is a really good sign. You're almost there. (or rather, they are)

 

[pipemum]

I'm waiting for an egg...seems like I've been waiting years! I have an EE who is 6 months old, and 2 barred rocks, a black copper marans, and 2 Polish/silkie mixes that are 5 months. The EE has a red face and comb and actually squatted for me last night. I hope she lays a pretty blue egg. The 5 month olds aren't looking ready yet. I'm so ready to get some return on these chickens! Besides the garden fertilizer. That's nice, but eggs would be nicer.

 

[Sharon Bee]

My one white is laying in a nesting box. They haven't pooped in them at all. They do scratch out the straw and I keep putting back in.

I also have placed a white golf ball in one. It has been there about 2 weeks now.

Today I saw a new activity. She was walking in front of nest boxes and flipping straw up over her back. Lol. Funny to watch. Just one straw piece at a time. AND another egg this morning. They sure make a fuss when the laying has happened. REALLY loud cackles.

 

[Happy Chooks]

She was walking in front of nest boxes and flipping straw up over her back. Lol. Funny to watch. Just one straw piece at a time. AND another egg this morning.

That is nesting behavior.

 

[kpsocalchicks89]

Every time my barred rock has laid it's been in the same box almost the same spot is that now her nest? She's laid 3 days in a row now we are very happy

 

[SoManyHats]

Do you think any of these ladies will be laying soon?

 

[kpsocalchicks89]

My barred started squatting 3 weeks before she laid her first egg and her combs/waddles looked like yours when she started squatting