is my hen going to lay or is she faking it?

[mrz hen]

My hens make that sound ( iam about to lay soon in the morning) and they do. Then again the other hen does the same sound in the afternoon and she'll lay an egg as well. But after 4pm. Another hen of mine makes the same sound but doesn't lay an egg. Is she trying to tell me there's

a problem or is she faking it.
I have 6 hens and 1 rooster.

 

[rlbrand]

how old are your chickens? I have 2 old girls (3 + years) . One still lays an egg almost everyday, the other has not laid an egg in probably a year, but she still goes into the nest boxes everyday and makes the noises and sits for awhile.

 

[mrz hen]

Thanks foe the reply.Im not 100% sure how long they are. The younger ones are about 7months.so im guessing the others are about 10months. Is there are way i can find out how old they are

 

[mrz hen]

If their not going to lay. Why do they go in the nesting box and make the noise?

 

[rlbrand]

i really dont know, maybe habit? maybe she doesn't want the other birds to know she doesnt lay anymore? I really have no idea. I love her though, shes one of my favorite birds. we planned to kill the birds for stew when they stop being productive, but this one i just can't.. she is the first to come running for me when i come out, and the only chicken i have that likes to be pet.

Is it possible she is starting to molt?

 

[mrz hen]

What does molt mean?

 

[mrz hen]

I've only had my ladies for 7months and i am crap scared to hold them or pet them. I really want to learn but i dont trust them and im scared ill scream if anything happens lol

 

[shortgrass]

There are many theories on the "egg song" and its origins... One of them being that it's more of a way for hens to find each other in the wild after being separated, possibly after sneaking off to lay an egg and losing the flock. They would call to locate the flock.

There's one that states its to attract predators to the hen so they can't find the nest instead...


2 of my Anconas do that; they get lost in the garden and can't find anyone and will start singing...no egg, just lost...

And then there are the ones that sing whenever they see someone in nesting boxes, just assuming someone else is laying gets them going...

Sometimes they THINK they might need to lay, or might have passed gas....

Lol they sing to sing

 

[shortgrass]

Oh, molting is when they "shed" feathers and grow new ones

 

[rlbrand]

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/12/molting-what-is-it-and-how-to-manage-it.html