How Do I Know if My Chickens Are Going to Start Laying Soon?

Devyn Nagy

Free Ranging
5 Years
Jun 2, 2020
1,204
13,314
511
Michigan, USA
Hi everyone! I'm wondering If I'll be able to tell when my chickens will start laying. I understand that it can take 20 - 28 weeks before they start, but is there any indication of it? A change in behavior, eating habits, noise-making ect.? Tell me what you think.
 
Butt check is the way to go (previous poster shared a link)! I’ve used this pretty accurately for 2 of my 4 birds, and am doing it every couple of days for the 2 not yet laying. It’s a good way to gauge if anything is happening down there, along with comb/wattle development and redness. I have a Wyandotte that is 34 weeks and her comb has been red for a while but her pelvis tells me that eggs are still a ways off :barnie but I also have a 25 week EE that is getting close, based on the widening of her pelvis. The other two of mine, I could tell within a few days before they started laying.
 
Butt check is the way to go (previous poster shared a link)! I’ve used this pretty accurately for 2 of my 4 birds, and am doing it every couple of days for the 2 not yet laying. It’s a good way to gauge if anything is happening down there, along with comb/wattle development and redness. I have a Wyandotte that is 34 weeks and her comb has been red for a while but her pelvis tells me that eggs are still a ways off :barnie but I also have a 25 week EE that is getting close, based on the widening of her pelvis. The other two of mine, I could tell within a few days before they started laying.
I have Wyandottes! So that means it could be a long time yet, as mine are only about 22 weeks old. :he I introduced layer feed at 19 weeks, maybe it was a bit early? Anyway, I'll have to try feeling the pelvic bones every once and a while.
 
Squatting actually works great for me as my most accurate indicator... well enough that I can give a date range for the first egg and be pretty much on the money. So far I'm 3 for 3 this year - and my prediction for pullet #4 is is the week of Nov 8-14, likely the earlier part of the week. So I've actually never tried measuring pelvic points.

Difference for me I think is that I really actively encourage them to squat for me. That's a lot of hand hovering over the backs of growing pullets and hens post-winter-solstice. Downside is trying to walk without accidentally punting a bird as they randomly squat as I come through.
 
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