Like watching a pot for boiling water...

[MrsM74]

I am so anxious for my chickens to start laying eggs. I have 2 SLW, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 EE, and 1 Cuckoo Marans all 17-ish weeks old. Then I have younger pullets, but I am hopeful we will start getting eggs soon from the olders. One of the SLW has had nice big wattle and comb, bright red, for the last month. The rocks have red faces when they are excited but then they become reddish yellow when calmer. The EE - not sure what physical signs to look for with them. The CM's wattle and comb are not very red yet. No obvious squatting from any of them.... so just waiting. Shown in the photo is the SLW I mentioned, Morticia. Also amused at how my 2 month old rooster sounds when he crows, ha ha.

 

[ChickNanny13]

From my experience with Orpingtons, Wynadottes, EEs & RIR....The RIR start earliest but alot depends on weather too, about 6 - 8 months. My EEs started around 7 - 8 months & Wynadottes & Orpingtons 8 - 9 months.

When they're close to ready, their combs & wattles (including the EE) will be RED & stay red. A few weeks prior they will do the squat when approached. I thought they did an "egg song" but the last 5 Wynadottes I had never did, the RIR did, the EE didn't & the Orpingtons some did but not all. Interesting...

Yup the waiting is hard but when that first egg arrives, it's like Christmas. Then watch you maybe able to figure out who laid which. I got 4 BOs that are 12wks, got a l - o - n -g way to go yet, ha ha . But enjoy them as they grow...

 

[tjb]

3 red sex link - 22 wks; 2 americana 20 weeks-- no eggs yet!! trying to patiently wait!!!

visiting the nesting boxes so I am hopeful it will be soon...

 

[ChickNanny13]

You got a few more months to go but once they start, it's Christmas everyday Wait for the squatting

 

[aart]

18-26 weeks is average for most birds of most breeds.....some take longer.

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.
Tho not all birds will do this, especially if there's a cockbird in the flock.
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 Appearance:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying.
Pelvic Points, feel for the 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.
(Spacing is relative with chickens size and humans finger size.)

 

[tjb]

I finally got my first egg today!!! A little bit like Christmas... She laid outside the nesting box. Will she eventually start laying in the designated spot?

 

[azygous]

In ten years of keeping laying hens, it's always like the very first time when I open the nest box door and find an egg. Cheap thrills.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I put some plastic Easter Eggs in the nest, some put golf balls, ceramic eggs. She may have not made it to the nest one time, ha ha. I witnessed a hen going to the nest box but dropped her egg as she was entering, it was hilarious! I would sometimes find eggs at the nest entrance, my thinking they got the urge but didn't make in time, like potty training kids, ha ha

 

[azygous]

One time two hens were in a nest box fighting over who was going to get to use it when the exterior door popped open and one hen fell out of the nest box just as the egg was coming out of her. The hen made a gracious "save" and fluttered safely to the ground, but sadly I can't say the same for the fate of the egg.

 

[tjb]

I put some plastic Easter Eggs in the nest, some put golf balls, ceramic eggs. She may have not made it to the nest one time, ha ha. I witnessed a hen going to the nest box but dropped her egg as she was entering, it was hilarious! I would sometimes find eggs at the nest entrance, my thinking they got the urge but didn't make in time, like potty training kids, ha ha

I have golf balls... the "potty training" reference seems very logical!!