Going to lay ?

[bluemini]

I bought 5 pullets from TSC the first of March,they are now 5 months old! They cluck like an adult hen and are bigger than my layers,yet no eggs! One has been acting strange,she isn't following the others anymore and has been laying around,not on her side like a dust bath,laying like when they sit on eggs,is this a sign of laying?

All have small red combs.

 

[Peeps61]

What breed are they? Five months is enough for some breeds, not enough for others.

 

[bluemini]

One is dark brahma , which according to the chart,is matured and should lay any time after the first of this month. I don't remember the name of the other 5,red something

 

[Peeps61]

I have 2 Buff Brahmas and several other assorted breeds, including cochins. If the red ones are red sex links or Rhode Island Reds, they will probably begin to lay any time now, and mine all started at 18-20 weeks. The Brahma may take a bit longer to mature before beginning to lay eggs. Theirs are supposed to be BIG, although not as frequent at the RSL or the RIR's. If they are red through the combs, faces and wattles, then they are getting ready to lay. Are any of them doing the egg squat yet?

 

[bluemini]

Than you,yes combs,wattles are very red where as on my 3 month Dorkings they are light pink(they still have a few months to go) . Im not sure? I was wondering if that's what she was doing,she is sitting alone on the building steps,everyone else is out wandering around,she doesn't seem sick or anything

 

[bluemini]

Cant really see her comb too well but this is a different hen,they are pretty big.

 

[ShockValue]

No, the egg squat is when they hunker down and spread their wings when you reach down for them. It's what they do to allow the rooster to "tread" on them (mate).

 

[Peeps61]

Yes, Shock Value has posted the perfect picture of the egg squat! The breeds you describe both did the egg squat for me before beginning to lay. My Buff Orphingtons did not. So, I'd say maybe a few weeks after they start squatting for you would be when to expect eggs. A bit more patience . I know it's hard. I went out to my coop one day and thought there was a rock in the bottom of the coop. When I did a double take, I could see it was an egg. It was oblong in shape so that's why I thought it was a rock. However, I started getting one or two eggs a day more as the other hens joined in. Quite small at first, then bigger. Some of the were shaped quite differently until the hens got the hang of it.

You'll probably be surprised when the first one squats for you! I was reaching for the feed bucket when my BSL squatted. I was so surprised at first! It's almost like they are paralyzed for a few seconds (you can actually catch or pick them up when they are doing this), then they stood up and shook themselves and walked on.