How do you know when EEs are ready to lay?

[dfdesigns]

I have three youngsters, hatched around 5/1/10. Two are Barred Rocks, and have started laying in the last two weeks. (I have eight small but lovely eggs!) As all of my eggs are light brown, I don't believe that my EE has started laying yet.

With the BRs, it was easy to watch their combs & wattles change color... are there any visual indicators to look for with my EE? She is clean faced, and has a pea comb. (This picture was taken about a week ago.)

Thanks for your help!

Dana

 

[dandelionheart]

We have one successfully laying EE and one that is going to lay within the next week (I predict). Their little pea combs get a lot more red than your picture, they are really sing songy, squatting all the time, and a bit more cuddly. Martha has been laying for a week & a half, and Georgia, who looks like your girl, has either disappointed us with a darker brown egg or is about to lay any day now given her appearance and behavior. Good luck (I'd say your girl in the photo isn't laying yet - I hope you get a pretty color)!!!

PS Martha didn't lay until 30 1/2 weeks (hatched 3/26/2010) - so you may have a wait.

 

[fl_deb]

For my EE, she squatted for me about a week before she started to lay. The sqat is them assuming the position they would need to be in for a roo to mate with them. It is a definite change in behavior, from running away from you to simply squatting for you.

Enjoy your eggs and your birds.

 

[Alabama ee]

I got mine in Feb. With mine, the combs were bright red. Several started sitting in the boxes before they started. Then, they all started laying at around 20 weeks and laid an egg a day for about 4 months. Now, they are ALL on strike. I have not had any eggs.

 

[Alabama ee]

BTW, the chicken in the the picture looks exactly like mine that I named Ginger. She lays a pretty light blue egg.

 

[Judy]

I have several EE's that look like yours; they lay a lovely blue egg. They were the last of their mixed breed batch to start, probably around 30-35 weeks.

I know of one person on here whose EE did not start til she was a year old! Let's hope yours don't wait that long.

 

[dfdesigns]

Great - thanks for all the replies!

I'm happy to wait... the excitement is kind of addicting!

 

[Happy Chooks]

She's not close yet. Her comb will get red and the skin around her beak will get red also.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I have 4 EE's from a May 29th hatch and they don't even appear ready yet. Maybe by Christmas.

 

[harris farm]

i have found that they will get very fluffy feathers on the back half of their bodies. I predicted it just right for mine.