i wasnt expecting it it now- not till 20-25.... it just happened! im so pumped! and thats what mine have been doing ... very friendly wanting held petted touched treats up in the boxes squatting very vocal etc . when i saw all the combs going red and big~ all i did was put golf balls in the boxes give em layer a lil in the FR and start giving oyster shell a few days ago and wait.......now 5 days later AN EGG! didnt make one noise... no "song" just the sound of the golf ball being kicked outta the nest! hahaha every chicken is different tho ... i dont know if my other girls will now start ,,, probably soon but not reg yet . its like Christmas today! im so excited!Dada, BarredRockGirls, and Esupp congratulations on your first egg! So EXCITING!! I am in the First Egg Countdown myself, my flock is 20.5 weeks old and still no eggs! BarredRockGirls, I can't believe yours are laying at 18weeks, how lucky for you! LOL!
I have been noticing strange behavior in one of my barred rock ladies and I am not sure whether she is sick (I hope not) or if she might be getting ready to lay eggs. I have not heard the egg song yet! She is standing around a lot, acting sluggish, kind of squatting down all the time. I felt her hip bones and I could not feel an egg or a hard spot or anything.
She is being very docile, letting me hold her, and not actively vying for treats like usual (she is near the top of the pecking order).
I posted some pictures in this other thread, do you all think this is normal pre-laying behavior? Or possibly illness?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/800303/sluggish-chicken
