It's nesting box day!

[KarynVA]

My 3 Golden Comets are 18-19 weeks old and one of the three of them (largest/ somewhat older) has started showing bright-ish red comb and wattles. The other two are not, yet. I haven't seen squatting behavior yet. But I'm going ahead and open up access to the nesting boxes and put in a fake egg so they will get used to the boxes and start to understand what they are for, hopefully.

I know there's no rushing the eggs, laying will happen when the pullets are good and ready. But I'm excited to take that next step toward the happy day of first .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It is exciting to wait for those first eggs.

 

[RebelEgger]

Each new step for them is so exciting!! I opened our nest boxes up at 16 weeks, they are 19.5 weeks now. Still no eggs (though I check the boxes twice daily, and eyeball the run!) I noticed today someone must have been in there kicking up the straw so hopefully soon!!! Good luck to you and your ladies!!!

 

[aart]

But I'm going ahead and open up access to the nesting boxes and put in a fake egg so they will get used to the boxes and start to understand what they are for, hopefully.

..and learn not to sleep in them at night.

I noticed today someone must have been in there kicking up the straw so hopefully soon!!!

IME, this is the most concrete sign the eggs appear within a day or three.

 

[RebelEgger]

IME, this is the most concrete sign the eggs appear within a day or three.

I sure hope so!!! I mean I know they’ll lay when they’re ready but I’m anxious to see that first egg!!!

 

[KarynVA]

Woohoo! Today is the day. My 20 weeks old Golden Comet/ red sex-link laid her first egg this morning after trying out 2 of the 3 nesting boxes. She finally settled in one and quietly laid this beauty. No eggsong; but I had been keeping an eye on her this morning because she was spending so much time in the nesting boxes.

In the photo below, the front, larger egg is a fake one.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Congratulations.