How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[Daethen]

Well from what I understand when a pullet is getting close to lay, when you place your hand over her she should squat. (That's how I took it anyway) However I have no hens that do this, but maybe I am doing it wrong, lol. They do however allow the rooster to mate them

Well, if that is the case, I have 2 that will do that. If I get close they half spread their wings and crouch down and let me pet them. They raise their butts if I pet them all the way to their tails.

 

[lindalouly]

Most everyone has beginners luck with pullets laying into their first autumn/winter.
They molt their second autumn and each thereafter. That creates a egg hiatus that can last months.
First timers are unpleasantly surprised going into the second autumn.

My best advice for those people is to start stockpiling eggs in late summer.

I have two first year era that are molting....

 

[Peterpam]

I am getting 6 a day out of 8 hens. Today, one of them was really large. They started laying earlier than we expected, so I am real happy.

 

[T-traveler]

10/21 with one blue and one green

 

[gander007]

Tuesday


2 eggs ta day



1 egg from the control group

And these girls are in the shed and out of the direct wind but it has been cold the last couple of nights

1 egg from the free range chickens

Temp day time 42F degrees but in the low 30's at night

I have seen a lot of people on different trends have been writing about the cold and broken pipes and the winter only just started

 

[jimbob86]

Quote: Single digits predicted low for tonight here ..... if they pick now to molt, they ain't gonna make it.

I got 1 (one!) egg yesterday ...... one when I went out to let them out and bring water this AM...... so tied yesterday's total already.

I think when I invaded their space to string lights, I kinda threw them off their game.

 

[shortgrass]

Well, if that is the case, I have 2 that will do that.  If I get close they half spread their wings and crouch down and let me pet them.  They raise their butts if I pet them all the way to their tails.

That is essentially them saying "I'm all grown up and ready to mate"

If you give them a little scratch, like ruffle their feathers a bit, they'll fluff up their feathers when you stop, just like they will do after being "courted" by the rooster


It depends on if they view you as the rooster, whether they will squat for you; sometimes they will do it if I just walk past them too fast lol.. That's their way of "bowing" to their leader, as my kids like to put it

 

[jimbob86]

Quote:
We have no rooster, and they've never seen or heard one....... so they can be forgiven for being a bit confused.....


Quote:


2/3 of mine squat when I walk up to them aggressively.

Some of those (the middle third of the order) squat when challenged by a more dominant hen.

The bottom 3 birds won't squat for anybody or anything: they run away and hide from everything, even each other......

Interesting stuff, this breeding stance/dominance thing ....maybe deserving of it's own thread........

 

[shortgrass]

2/3 of mine squat when I walk up to them aggressively. 

Some of those (the middle third of the order) squat when challenged by a more dominant hen.

The bottom 3 birds won't squat for anybody or anything: they run away and hide from everything, even each other......

Interesting stuff, this breeding stance/dominance thing ....maybe deserving of it's own thread........

Flock dynamics is a very interesting subject, for sure! There is so much more going on in their little world than we sometimes realize


The physical cues, plus behavioral cues can really help in telling how close they are to reaching POL (point of lay). Sexual maturity, whether a rooster is present or not, also dictates when they start laying.

So physical cues, much like puberty in humans lol, like reddening of the comb and widening of the pelvic area, along with behavioral, ie squatting and the "egg song" all added up signal eggs very soon!


Just for sake if the topic, I've been averaging 6 eggs a day, down from 18 a day in summer. I don't give supplemental light, as winter here is very harsh, so I let them "go dormant" to save energy for staying warm.

My best layers in winter are EEs, BRs, and a Red Star.. The odd surprise is a banty Cochin, who lays a tiny egg every day like clockwork, snow or not

 

[cabinchicky]

Well, if that is the case, I have 2 that will do that.  If I get close they half spread their wings and crouch down and let me pet them.  They raise their butts if I pet them all the way to their tails.

Yes that is a squat. Not all of my girls will for me, flighty EEs! But they will for Fester or Lurch at times. I use this as a sign laying time is soon along with comb color. I can't tell yet from looking at my Cochins if they look wider, that's alot of wide bird anyhow.