How do you know when the first egg is coming?

[nuts4hotwheels]

Is there a change in a chickens behavior before she lays an egg? My girls are 17 weeks old and I am keeping an eye on the nest box.

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

mine started squatting about a week ago and we got our first egg last night!Squatting is when you go to pick them up they will kinda squat down ,spread their wings a little and some of mine even stamp their feet.. its kinda funny you can look it up on you tube too.
Good luck

 

[nuts4hotwheels]

Thanks for the info. My wife noticed one of my girls doing that yesterday and was telling me about it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Red combs/wattles
Squatting
May or may not hear the egg song (sounds like bok bok bok bok BAGAWWWK - it's extremely loud so you'll know it if you hear it)
And the day of that first egg, they usually get very vocal and pace around the coop/yard.

 

[Country4ever]

Squatting when I go to pet them is the sign for me. If they are no where near laying, they usually run from me.
That's how I can usually tell towards the end of the laying season, who is still laying............they squat when I pet them. (because to them, I'm the rooster).
Of course there's always an occasional one who runs no matter what! haha

 

[chicks47]

We have 5 hens they are now 24 weeks (tomorrow). I have been waiting... waiting.... I think you understand. No eggs.
I had asked about the signs before. Never really noticed them in our hens. So today after seeing this post I viewed some youtube videos. I actually think one of our hens did an egg song one day, but never found anything. Now.. they are free range in our yard. We look around, but have not found anything yet.
I did see some video though where the hens were very quiet while laying an egg...
Listening... waiting....