How will I know when it's "time"...

[serena763]

Got my chicks June 2010..2 RIR, 2 Buff Orp, 2 jersey giants, and 1 white leghorn. I was going to start them on layer feed when they run out of chick starter in 2 weeks. Do they start acting differently? Or will I just have to keep an eye out for eggs?

 

[NevadaRon]

Mine started "squatting" when I came in the run just before they started laying. From what I've read here, it is a submissive pose for a rooster, indicating they are "ready".

 

[CMV]

Their combs will start to get red just before laying begins.

 

[catterbug]

My hens also would begin checking out the nest boxes more. Sometimes I would find them just hanging out in them.

 

[Sanebychicks]

So far only one of my 21 wk old's have started laying - just found the second one this morning. SO EXCITING! I agree, so far the easiest indicator for me has been the behavior change of "squatting". All four of mine do it now and I expect they will all be laying shortly. You'll notice this change easily if you haven't already. When you reach down to touch them they squat down, put their wings out slightly and bow their heads a little and become pretty calm. Now, I have read that not all pullets will do this for you - they kind of need to see you as a beautiful rooster and that seems to correspond to how much you interact with them.

Patience is a virtue - hang in there and pretty soon - you too will be very excited by and egg!

 

[Morgan7782]

Also don't start layer feed UNTIL the first egg comes. They don't need the layer feed until after that first egg is laid.

 

[SmittenChicken]

I noticed a big personality shift in all my girls, around 19-20 weeks they got a lot friendlier, all of them started squatting for me (as the others have described) soon before they started laying. I had a couple of Easter Eggers that were terrified of me and would freak out if I even looked at them, they suddenly calmed down and started letting me handle them around the time of the first egg.

Their voices also seemed to evolve quite a bit, I started hearing the classic chicken sounds (bok-bok-bok, egg song, etc) around the time they started laying.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I have2 of my ten who have had red combs for quite awhile & no eggs.I haven't heard the egg song are them squatting yet. Your saying & not just you just before laying.I know nothing is in stone but my chicks wattles got bigger & bright red along with their comb for at least a week maybe more.