Is she ready to lay an egg????

[LovinMyChickies]

I awoke this morning to one of my girls making this crazy cackle, I've never heard before.

The Roos were squawking and one of the hens was making this "bawk, bawk, bawk, BIGgawk, bawk bawk, noise. I ran outside because I thought someone was being attacked. When I got there, they were all in the coop, looking at the nests.

I could tell that someone had been sitting in the nest, on the decoy eggs. But I did'nt see which hen it was. By the time I got in there, she had jumped down. (By the way, no "real' egg produced)

Last week I added decoy eggs to the nests, and they have been very interested in the boxes. They are now 17 weeks old. Some of their combs are getting redder. Is one of my girls ready to lay?? Can they lay this young?

 

[soctippy]

In general hens start laying when they are 6 to 7 months old. And I do think that a hen was trying to lay. When mine lay eggs there is a big ruckus in the chicken house, its like they feel the need to announce the laying of an egg to the world.

 

[ChickenToes]

Some hens start laying at 16 weeks, so yours are getting there. The norm is 18 to 20 weeks.

 

[LovinMyChickies]

Thanks