First Timer Do they need to be on layer food to lay?

[GApeachmama]

AI got my father here too, it's not actually that early He was telling me they'd lay any day now when it was a few weeks before any started doing what I call the "potty dance." Due to my set up, I had to move them to the laying box. Australorps have similar laying periods to my birds, and should be laying around 22-24 weeks. It could be as early as 18 weeks, but I highly doubt it! Again, one of my girls was super early and laid on 20 weeks. Also, some eggs might not be edible. The first egg out of my current problem (screamer) child was shell-less/soft-shelled and popped in the bedding.

Screamer

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also what signs should I look for? I recently saw a thread that mentioned laying down most of the day.

Others have addressed the myth about layer feed so I'll answer this one.

Signs they're getting close to laying:
- Red swollen combs and wattles
- Squatting if you reach your hand over their backs
- Evidence that the nest box has been messed with (nesting material kicked around, fake eggs kicked around)

If a bird is laying around most of the day it's either unwell or broody. Some layers do take longer than others to lay (a few hours vs 10 minutes) but even then they shouldn't be in the nest all day.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Short answer -
No, layer feed doesn't make chickens lay eggs. And they will lay eggs without layer feed. They do need calcium (oyster shell etc) on the side, either way.


Long answer -
Since domesticated chickens have been selectively bred to produce more and more eggs, they need the extra calcium to keep up with all the calcium going into those eggshells.

Layer feed just has more calcium than a bird who isn't laying eggs would need, like...
- a rooster
- a chick
- or a hen who isn't laying (examples - molt, age, illness)

But layer feed might not have enough calcium for many birds who are laying eggs. Which is why it's best to put calcium on the side. The pullets/hens should pick at it when they need it.

If a laying pullet/hen doesn't have enough calcium supplement in their diet, it can take from their bodies and their bodies and eggshells can become fragile.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Others have addressed the myth about layer feed so I'll answer this one.

Signs they're getting close to laying:
- Red swollen combs and wattles
- Squatting if you reach your hand over their backs
- Evidence that the nest box has been messed with (nesting material kicked around, fake eggs kicked around)

If a bird is laying around most of the day it's either unwell or broody. Some layers do take longer than others to lay (a few hours vs 10 minutes) but even then they shouldn't be in the nest all day.

My two hour eggs... every minute of waiting in silence is precious!

Screamer

She's called World Ender or Worldie because she screams like the world is ending. She's quite good about it and loud, so she's also our predator alarm. Lately, she's decided laying her egg is also predator-level threat

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

She's called World Ender or Worldie because she screams like the world is ending. She's quite good about it and loud, so she's also our predator alarm. Lately, she's decided laying her egg is also predator-level threat

So, does a screamer bird start from chick-hood?

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

So, does a screamer bird start from chick-hood?

No, haha! We have a young pullet blue Ameraucana who was named piyo because she would nonstop make noise but not scream. She's mellowed out a lot on the noise!

With Worldie, she was adopted at two and a half months old, as some of our flock is. She immediately got her name from my list of possible names. You'd know by now if she was an alert chicken like mine is. She isn't unnecessarily loud and doesn't respond to planes or non-dangerous wild bird calls like some other chickens might. Some chickens make the "panic call" in response to needing to lay their egg, but usually it sounds like a song or can even be very quiet.

Either way, zero noise complaints from the neighbors! I've apologized for if they hear noises, but neither say they have heard her. Frankly, I can hear her just fine indoors, but she doesn't do it more than two times a day. One for her egg and one for a cat on the roam.

(take the noise complaints with a grain of salt, one house has two dogs and the other has three elementary-school kids, I wonder if their eardrums have popped yet!)

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

No, haha! We have a young pullet blue Ameraucana who was named piyo because she would nonstop make noise but not scream. She's mellowed out a lot on the noise!

With Worldie, she was adopted at two and a half months old, as some of our flock is. She immediately got her name from my list of possible names. You'd know by now if she was an alert chicken like mine is. She isn't unnecessarily loud and doesn't respond to planes or non-dangerous wild bird calls like some other chickens might. Some chickens make the "panic call" in response to needing to lay their egg, but usually it sounds like a song or can even be very quiet.

Either way, zero noise complaints from the neighbors! I've apologized for if they hear noises, but neither say they have heard her. Frankly, I can hear her just fine indoors, but she doesn't do it more than two times a day. One for her egg and one for a cat on the roam.

(take the noise complaints with a grain of salt, one house has two dogs and the other has three elementary-school kids, I wonder if their eardrums have popped yet!)

Oh
So what (other than dramatic) do you call a chick that screams bloody murder because you moved it from the nest box to the roost...
(And you hope it doesn't wake anybody up)

 

[GApeachmama]

Oh
So what (other than dramatic) do you call a chick that screams bloody murder because you moved it from the nest box to the roost...
(And you hope it doesn't wake anybody up)

A butthole drama queen

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Oh
So what (other than dramatic) do you call a chick that screams bloody murder because you moved it from the nest box to the roost...
(And you hope it doesn't wake anybody up)

Sounds like a cranky betty to me!