Huh!?!

[GreenGoddess]

Ok.. I am completely and totally stumped on this one and need your expertise!! I am fairly new to the egg laying thing since my reds just started laying in Dec.. I have 4 barred rock pullets that are 19 weeks old.. I've been watching their combs carefully and from what i can tell, even though they are not truely red, they are not AS peachy as they were on a few of them.. When I let them out to free range today, my head roo Clucky went over to one of them and she squatted down and spread her wings for him..

Is it possible that they will lay before their combs grow larger? I did find an egg on the droppings board (broken of course) this morning and the br's were up on the roost.. Is it possible it was their first egg?!?!? I've only had 2 eggs in the run from my reds.. All the rest were in the nest boxes.. Unless Clucky is near the girls, I don't know who is squatting and who is not since they won't do it for me.. So, what are your thoughts?? Here are some pics of the br girls...

Goddess

 

[gritsar]

Yes, it's possible. Congrats on the egg, even if it was broken.

 

[chicks4kids]

They surely will start laying before their combs get larger.

I raised 12 BR's this spring and they started laying in September. It probably took a good 2 months before they really started to get nice looking comb and waddles. I used to never be able to tell them apart, besides the band number on their leg, however, now it is much more obvious by their facial features who is who....

 

[NarleevilleClucks]

Mine didn't get true red until after they were laying...it's an indicator but not a rule.

 

[noitulover]

my buff orpingtons started laying with a comb that looked theirs! it could have been them!

 

[nanawendy]

I still count the broken ones

 

[GreenGoddess]

Well, I'm still not sure if one of them are laying.. I have had a 100 watt bulb in the coop for the last week all day and all night just to try to keep it a bit warmer because of the cold spell right now.. It stays about 5-10 degrees higher inside than it is outside.. But, so far I'm only getting three eggs a day.. I've started marking the eggs with the names of who laid them when i can catch them in the act.. I know roughly what time they are laying so I can catch a few of them but one of them in laying early in the morning and since I am a night person, I sleep late and well, haven't been up early enough to catch the first one yet.. Someday.. lol... I will definitely keep y'all posted.. I have noticed that the first one being laid in the morning is smaller than the rest so I'm still hopeful that is is coming from one of the br's..

I appreciate everyone's input on this!!

Goddess