Laying soon?...

[jkelly83113]

I have some hens that I had bought around Easter. ISA Browns, Cornish Crosses and Rhode Island Reds... They are starting to grow their thick red combs, and I was wondering when they should start laying?

Thanks!!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC!

Do you know how old the hens are? If they have red faces, large, red combs and wattles, are squatting, singing and checking out the nests, you can know that the eggs will be arriving any day.

 

[jkelly83113]

I got them from Rural King the day before Easter. So probably born just before then.

 

[jkelly83113]

5ish months maybe?

 

[aart]

I have some hens that I had bought around Easter. ISA Browns, Cornish Crosses and Rhode Island Reds... They are starting to grow their thick red combs, and I was wondering when they should start laying?

Thanks!!

Cornish Crosses...the meat birds?


New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out. Putting some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest might help show them where to lay. They may scratch around in the nests for weeks before laying, spreading the bedding everywhere. They will scratch around a bit less in nest as they get used to the routine. Meanwhile, eggs everywhere, some of them can be rather funky looking, soft or thin shelled, huge double yolked eggs.

Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!

Vent:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying

Pelvic Points 2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.