First Egg Countdown

[Delight30]

The squat is where you reach for them and they hunker down and their wings go out. It means they are mature for mating, thus eggs will follow soon.

ok, first squat was tonight... now about how long before first egg?

 

[GoneCrazy]

So....I'm understanding the whole squatting thing and the "egg song" .....but my girls r awfully quiet. I don't have any experience w chickens other then this yr but have any of y'all had quiet chickens....the most my husband and I hear from them is some of what he calls purring...lol....I have two w flaming red combs and waddles and they r oh so in awe of the nesting boxes but they r also the quietest of the 4....
Are they still far out from laying(19 weeks tomm) or r they just a lil touched in the head like our other animals?

 

[ChickenFox]

My 2 girls that are laying started squatting about 1 week before i started finding eggs. I have yet to hear an egg song from anybody though. I found out what time they're laying but even when I sit there and listen all I hear is normal clucking.

 

[Delight30]

My 2 girls that are laying started squatting about 1 week before i started finding eggs. I have yet to hear an egg song from anybody though. I found out what time they're laying but even when I sit there and listen all I hear is normal clucking.

Thank you. I will keep you posted and let you know if our girls sings...

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm so glad I"m not the only one that gets eggscited (new word for me!) when checking nest boxes... I was getting one a day (5 pullets/hens) - then over the weekend I got 2 a day. Then I got one TINY one! We broke it open last night and the yolk hadn't even formed. I'm wishing i had snapped a pic of it - it was about the size of a large grape. All the others have been normal "small" size. I got 2 "white" eggs... which surprised me. I almost have a full dozen now!

That is a fart egg, basically a whoopsie in the egg factory.

Are there any tricks to getting them to lay? Can I tie a clove of garlic around their neck, or put up a fertility god of something?

Nope, they will lay when their bodies are ready.

Quote: Within 2 weeks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

This is my third egg. Oddest thing I have ever seen!

That is a strange one. You will get all sorts of weird eggs out of new layers.

I got this weird one a while back out of an older hen. (4 years old) It had no yolk, just white. I suspect she's beginning to have laying issues.

 

[truckguy]

I have two RIRs that are ~20 weeks. I'm getting very impatient!

I have 3 and they are over 20 weeks and I have no idea what's going on.

 

[elsiebb]

I have 3 and they are over 20 weeks and I have no idea what's going on.

I have two barred rocks that are 23 weeks and still nothing. One doesn't even have full comb and wattles yet. sigh.

 

[roheryn]

I have 1 black barred Cochin who is maybe 22 weeks and 2 Ameraucaunas who are about 21 weeks. They have been making little dust bowls all over the run, and today I am sure I got the egg-squat from the Cochin! I was putting them to bed and reached down to pet her and she hunkered down and put her wings out. I am so excited to have an egg and I'm hoping this will mean its soon! I've been around chickens all my childhood, but they were mostly leghorn food chicks, and these are my first chickens for me. We are near town so we only have 3 but I love them so much! I love to hear them and hold them and watch them... My 7yo is getting into them as well, but isn't a big fan of the work involved (albeit not much!)

I'll post photos of my beautiful girls and chime in when I get an egg!

 

[annie82005]

That is a strange one. You will get all sorts of weird eggs out of new layers. I got this weird one a while back out of an older hen. (4 years old) It had no yolk, just white. I suspect she's beginning to have laying issues.

wow that one is funky!!!