Is there signs that a hen is ready to lay?

[GIGI.07]

Well no need to respond...she layed an egg on my stomach....

...I could tell she wanted me to hold her so i layed her on my stomach n covered her with the blanket n she closed her eyes n i rubbed her back n she juz put her head dwn az she normally does n kept makin lil noises n i cud feel her tencin up but it was like she was sleeping n juz dreaming...all of a sudden she stands up n i look between her legs n i see a pinkish brown egg...of course i cryed lol...so no need to respond to the other post bcuz Chickity has layed her egg...(miss big mama)....I'm new to this so soon I will add pictures whn i figure all this out...I'm on my phone...

 

[RedDrgn]

Yep! Definitely well-developed bright red comb/wattles. That was certainly the kicker with our chickens, who didn't (and STILL don't) do several of the potential behavioral indicators (e.g. egg song, checking out the nesting boxes, general loudness/aggressiveness). We were starting to wonder The only behavioral thing our chickens did do was the squatting. Two of them started doing that two weeks ago Friday this coming Friday, and all of them were doing it by one week ago today. We got our first egg on December 24th.

 

[fcooper]

Hi!
It looks as though those photos have been taken down, but I was wondering exactly the same thing and was wondiering if you could (pleeeease

) put them up agaibn?
Thanks!

 

[Arve]

You guys say the Red Sex Links starts laying about 18 weeks?
How about Black Sex Links?.. Same??

 

[lostmymind]

I have about 130 hens. They all were generally quite during the day and now they are all loud!!! I hear more and more clucking sounds. What does this mean?

 

[RedDrgn]

I have about 130 hens. They all were generally quite during the day and now they are all loud!!! I hear more and more clucking sounds. What does this mean?

That they're communicating with each other.

Chickens are epically chatty (especially roos) and apparently have all sorts of things to say, which they say louder as they get bigger. Their vocabulary also tends to expand as they reach POL, I suppose because they have a new topic to talk about (eggs!).

Beyond that, what are they up to when they're really loud? Just general flock jabber or have they spotted a potential predator or something else that interests them?

 

[Gigiintheforest]

I grab the hen by the neck & shake. Then I pet her back kind of hard then i pull her tail up & shake it . I think it makes then happy. Because they all huddle around wanting there turn ---some 2 times---

thet they shake off the encounter off & go lay an egg .
Funny & fun animals to keep.

I'm going to try this - LOL!

 

[chickbabymomma1]

Wow I am new to chickens. I have some black sexlinks they are only 8 weeks old, I still have a while before eggs but I am looking forward to it. Just trying to read up on what to expect and look for.

 

[859007]

how can you tell when ready to have an egg

 

[Chickengeorge1]

I just heard a lady on YouTube say if the egg is dirty, the chicken needs worming, true or false...