First Egg - Only One Hen Laying - Others Soon to Follow?

[Red_Bowman]

Very New Member. I have 4 hens. All 18 weeks old. The Black Sex Link started laying last week, and ironically she was the tiniest chick hence her name "Cutie Pie". The Red Sex Link is the biggest and she may have laid a couple eggs without hardened shells but it's hard to tell if it was her. The 2 Golden Comets are a bit "thinner" looking hens so I am wondering if anyone has thoughts on when they and the RSL might start laying? I put them all on layer feed w/oyster shell about a week and a half ago. Oh, and I live in west/central MO, so it's been crazy hot, chickens are holding up very well though.

Pretty Eggs I have to say and man do they taste good!

Thanks,
Red

 

[chicmom]

I have a couple of hybrids that layed their first egg at 17 weeks. The rest of your hens will start laying soon.....like within a few more weeks, I'd guess.

There are some behaviors you can look for.....if they do a little "squat" when you reach out for them, that's a sign that a pullet is maturing and is about ready to lay. I think their combs become a brighter shade of red too.

That first egg is like Christmas, isn't it?!

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Congrats!

Even though they're all born the same day or close to, it does seem like everyone is not quite on the same clock. I have 7 hens, I got them all from local feed store as day old chicks. One started laying around the 5th of July (20 weeks old), laid one egg a day for 12 days, took a couple days off, then started laying again. A second hen started laying last week (22 weeks old) and a third one started laying this week (23 weeks old) and I'm still waiting on the other four...

You can search this website for links to the egg song which they start doing when very close to laying as well as watching for the squat.

Mine got a lot noisier as they started to reach laying age, squawks and cackles that I'd never heard before.

After the first one started, some of the others began to follow her and watch her in the nest box. They'd study her really closely and they'd study the egg after she laid it. It was like school! The ones that spent the most time doing this were the next ones to lay eggs.

 

[Red_Bowman]

That's helpful info thanks! The Red Sex Link and one Golden Comet are starting to watch her, and suddenly the nest box has become an intriguing place for all the hens, so hopefully soon the rest will get a clue from the BSL and start laying.. I noticed that the GC's combs and waddles aren't as big as the others, so it may take them a bit longer.. I might try a golfball or smooth stone in the nest box too, just for grins..

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Oh yes, the golf ball in the nest box will work. I was not expecting my first egg so soon so I didn't even have the nest box ready for them, one little egg got laid in a different place each day until I built the nest box. I bought four wooden eggs from craft store for $1.50 and put them in the nest box. Ever since I did that, they've been laying right in the nest box every day.

Chickens are actually somewhat trainable, I guess. Or maybe they train us, who knows...

 

[jason736]

Wooden eggs work well. My rsl started at 16 wks. The soft shells seemed to progressively get better. Best eggs I tasted. Congrats!!

 

[jason736]

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Love the picture!

 

[dirtbagchickens]

how do you differentiate your rd sexlink and the golden comet. I have one, I think a G Comet, but pics Ive seen of the rd sl's look so similar.
thanks