First Egg Countdown

[mshirk]

I love this thread! I am waiting on my three 17 week old Buff Orps. One has, as of this week, a bigger bright red comb and wattles, another has medium sized almost red comb and wattles, and the third hasn't quite developed much of either. All hatched at the same time, so I find it fascinating how they are developing at different times. They haven't done the squat yet, they still seem to be in their flightly teenager phase, not wanting attention and wanting to run all over the place

 

[7L Farm]

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Not a dumb question I'm also here in Texas & my pullets have just started laying. Hang in there they will lay.

 

[ronott1]

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Hi Barnie,

It depends on the type of chickens you have! Some don't lay in the first year. Some are more sensitive to the heat too. Look up the breed either here or on Google.

Since they are 25 weeks old, start giving them layer food. Don't give them too much scraps. Also, try keeping them in a run and set up a mister for the afternoon. Also if you haven't already done so, put a couple of golf balls in the run.

If they are free ranging, they may be laying in a nest outside.

Hang in there you will have eggs soon.

Ron

 

[Pele]

Congrats to our first Eggers! llmaw, I am so jealous of the size of your first egg!!! Mine are still laying half-pints. I can't really complain though since I can't even lay small eggs

And welcome everyone new to the thread! Thanks for keeping the ball rolling. It is soooo fun to see everyone's girls, and their first efforts!

Breezychick, it is true that hot weather can throw your hens out of wack. But it really also depends on the breed that you have too. Some lay early like sex-links, some lay at 28 weeks, like EEs.

Yours will happen, I promise!

 

[Barnmaradotte]

even though my welsummers are only 17 weeks one of them grew one waddle over night. maybe my wellies will be early. also one of the blrw's are showing some growth now. soon. But maybe not cause they are all mad at me cause I clipped their wings this morning. MEMO........ NO EGGS FOR THE CRAP HEAD WITH THE SCISSORS!

 

[N&MSchroeder]

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Hi and

My Black Copper Marans pullet is 18 weeks and showing quite a bit of red and talking her head off to me.

I'm hoping she will lay soon! I can't wait to see the eggs. However, my Leghorn who is a week behind, is exhibiting serious squatting behavior. In the past, she would sit on our lap or next to us, let us touch her chest feathers, but not pet her back. Now she is like a kitten who loves to be stroked while she crouches and spreads her wings!

 

[breezychick]

Hi Barnie,

It depends on the type of chickens you have! Some don't lay in the first year. Some are more sensitive to the heat too. Look up the breed either here or on Google.

Since they are 25 weeks old, start giving them layer food. Don't give them too much scraps. Also, try keeping them in a run and set up a mister for the afternoon. Also if you haven't already done so, put a couple of golf balls in the run.

If they are free ranging, they may be laying in a nest outside.

Hang in there you will have eggs soon.

Ron

Thank you for your relpys! I have two BO and 1 BA that are that age. I let them free range (sort of) on about 1/2 of an acre for about 2 hours in the evening and them put them back
in the coop/run until the next evening. I will go ahead and put some golf balls in the nest box this evening. I have been spraying down about half of the fun with a hose and that
seems to cool them down. They love laying on the cool wet ground. I don't have them on layer feed yet so will get that asap. Thanks again. I will be so excited when I get that first egg!

 

[ronott1]

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Hi Barnie,

Patience is the key here. The BA should lay first. Do they have waddles and are the doing the egg squat yet?

Here is a picture of some of mine:

The Golden Comet came from a guy in Folsom CA and has been laying for a couple of months. The BA's are my babies and are 19 weeks old. One does the egg squat, three others have developed their combs and waddles but no egg dance. The fifth one still needs to grow the waddles and combs. At least she looks like she has finished the "Juvenile Molt". I also have three RIR's but they are 13 weeks old so I will have to wait six weeks or so for them.

I am really looking forward to the babies laying eggs

Ron

 

[SIMPleChick]

I have PICS!!!!!

Here is Miss. Henny Penny on the left and Cricket on the right. They do the squat every time I see them and have become very vocal! They are not the "most" red in color but I guess they are ready!!! Red sex-link is 17 weeks and EE is 20. Cricket my EE is the top hen so I wonder if she is just coppying the others or if she is really getting ready, physically, her head colors could get darker....

Here is Miss. Henny Penny's bad hair day.....LOL! She ALWAYS has a bad hair day!!! She has the funniest feathers, like a right side comb-over blowing in the wind...every day....The top of her feathers are beautiful and copper and the bottom half are PURE white! All her down is white, it's so funny!

Here is Bugs a 20 week White Leghorn! She is adorable, the most curious and the skinniest of the bunch, I guess that's her breed! She has been doing half squats, like she isn't sure of what to do! HAHAHA!

And last but NOT least! MUMFORD! hehehe She is the family favorite, the cuddliest and sweetest, she likes sitting on your lap and talking to you, preening your clothes, she is a big bootied fashionista!!! Mums is our 19 week old Barred Rock! LOOK AT THAT COMB!!! LOL! She is turning into quite a beauty! Squatted yesterday and a half one today!

Oh yeah....Mumford looks a bit ticked off cause my brother's puppy, who we are watching for a while, was jsut chasing her...she loves our dogs but is NOT a fan of the puppy!!!

 

[swmalone]

I have one buff orpington, a black australorp, and a black sex link, all 16 weeks old. So far the buff orpington is the only one with a really well defined comb and waddles. I put the golf ball in to try to convince her to give me an egg, so I keep checking something on the order of about 15 times a day. She has become pretty vocal and squats a bit, but I think the squatting might just be to get down into the dirt, grass, or weeds to cool off because it has been getting into the 90's.

I will have to get some pictures of the others later.