Hen Getting Ready to Lay??

[aart]

She doesn't seem to be eating the oyster shells that I offer free-choice really. However, I kind of agree with the school of thought that chickens take what they need when they need it. That has been what I've observed so far. Is this normal?

Eh.....with pullet not around older birds pecking at OS, I put a dozen pieces of OS on top of feed for a couple days to give them a taste.

 

[black_dove2]

So my girl's egg had a few white spots on it today. I'm hoping this again is normal from a new layer. I was wondering if I was feeding too much calcium.View attachment 1131734 View attachment 1131734 She doesn't seem to be eating the oyster shells that I offer free-choice really. However, I kind of agree with the school of thought that chickens take what they need when they need it. That has been what I've observed so far. Is this normal? The egg is still pretty and I'm sure edible. Any further advice is so very much appreciated.

Hi this video will explain why there are spots and speckles, double yolks, etc. It did wonders for me to understand the process

 

[shoetou]

for get putting as egg or golf ball in a nest box . it may cause her to brood and you don't want that

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I know what it is like. My oldest hen started laying in August last year. Despite having nest boxes available, she made a nest under the house. For a few days she would be eager to get out of the cage in the morning and head to the same spot. So I looked under and there were three eggs there. Just yesterday I was trying to find my oldest hen and found the spot where my Cinnamon Queen had been laying eggs. There were ten eggs there. I did find my hen, and for a week I haven't seen eggs from her, under the deck. She had made a new nest under the deck . After taking the ten eggs, my Cinnamon Queen started laying eggs there too. So if you are allowing them to roam the yard, you may need to keep in mind they may find other places they like better to lay eggs than the nest box you provided.

As for using fake eggs, my hens don't like them and tend to avoid the nest box with the fake eggs and lay somewhere else. I only found them useful for the broody hen until I could get the hatching eggs in the nest.

 

[aart]

for get putting as egg or golf ball in a nest box . it may cause her to brood and you don't want that

Tho sometimes a clutch of fake eggs can help encourage broodiness, it's more hormonal than anything.

As for using fake eggs, my hens don't like them and tend to avoid the nest box with the fake eggs and lay somewhere else.

I have used fake eggs and golf balls for 4 years with much success.
Have left some nests bare and some with fakies,
sometimes one fake - sometime multiples,
they always lay with the mulitple fakies first.
I've only had one bird avoid the fakies, a newly laying pullet would not enter a nest with a fakie until she had laid her first egg, after that she also laid in the baited nests over the bare ones.

 

[Patty724]

I'm anxiously awaiting my first egg from my 4 month old and 5 month old hens. And please forgive my stupid questions . . . do hens become more vocal right before they lay? Mine has started clucking a lot lately. Does the size and depth of a nesting box make/break laying? I saw my girl go into her box, arrange the shavings, and lay, but produced nothing. Based on another post, I'm using plastic dish pans, but after watching her, I fear the dish pans aren't deep enough.
Thanks for your patience and advice for this new chicken moma.

 

[aart]

I'm anxiously awaiting my first egg from my 4 month old and 5 month old hens. And please forgive my stupid questions . . . do hens become more vocal right before they lay? Mine has started clucking a lot lately. Does the size and depth of a nesting box make/break laying? I saw my girl go into her box, arrange the shavings, and lay, but produced nothing. Based on another post, I'm using plastic dish pans, but after watching her, I fear the dish pans aren't deep enough.
Thanks for your patience and advice for this new chicken moma.

All very typical behavior.....pans are fine.

 

[black_dove2]

Tho sometimes a clutch of fake eggs can help encourage broodiness, it's more hormonal than anything.

I have used fake eggs and golf balls for 4 years with much success.
Have left some nests bare and some with fakies,
sometimes one fake - sometime multiples,
they always lay with the mulitple fakies first.
I've only had one bird avoid the fakies, a newly laying pullet would not enter a nest with a fakie until she had laid her first egg, after that she also laid in the baited nests over the bare ones.

It's funny how their individuality shows up. She may have avoided the fake egg nest in response to pecking order? You think once she started laying it was "I'm a big girl now" attitude? I'll lay wherever I want

Just joking, but how does pecking order influence the nest and fake eggs on Laing?

 

[aart]

It's funny how their individuality shows up. She may have avoided the fake egg nest in response to pecking order? You think once she started laying it was "I'm a big girl now" attitude? I'll lay wherever I want

Just joking, but how does pecking order influence the nest and fake eggs on Laing?

Actually I think it was fear of the unknown. She was the first layer in a pullet only group with only one nest.She wouldn't settle in nest and lay until I removed fakie.

I think pecking order can affect who gets to use what nest at what time.
But haven't really observed much of that.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

My oldest hen is the leader of the pack, so to say, since I don't have any roosters except the two month old chicks. Even after she layed her first eggs, and I removed them, she still wanted to go back to the same place, even when I did not let her out of the cage into the yard. She layed eggs on the ground. I found if I put one of her real eggs in the provided nest box, she learned this was the place to lay. But my Cinnamon Queen is learning from the older one. I noticed they seem to like small enclosed private places to lay their eggs. But every hen is different. My broody hen protected the fake eggs. I am preparing a new caging area for them all once the my broody hen gets back to laying.