Mean Girl

[Melanie9565]

I'll let them be on the pecking order issue. As long as I don't see a ton of feathers and my Ameraucana is able to eat, I'll stay out of it. She is smaller than the others but they are the same age. She seems to lag behind and has yet to lay. She really doesn't like to be touched but will sit over my shoulder on the perch and talk to me. I take a little stool into the coop and give them little treats at night. They all have their areas where the sit. The Orpington is always on my lap....
But I do wonder on the egg laying. It seems when one goes into the nesting box, they all holler for her. It's like a group egg song. Is this normal? They are very loud when they all sing together. Usually lasts for about 5-10 minutes when one goes in and about the same when one comes down!

 

[aart]

I'll let them be on the pecking order issue. As long as I don't see a ton of feathers and my Ameraucana is able to eat, I'll stay out of it. She is smaller than the others but they are the same age. She seems to lag behind and has yet to lay. She really doesn't like to be touched but will sit over my shoulder on the perch and talk to me. I take a little stool into the coop and give them little treats at night. They all have their areas where the sit. The Orpington is always on my lap....
But I do wonder on the egg laying. It seems when one goes into the nesting box, they all holler for her. It's like a group egg song. Is this normal? They are very loud when they all sing together. Usually lasts for about 5-10 minutes when one goes in and about the same when one comes down!

Yes! It's both hilarious and very annoying when it goes on and on and on.....and on. SMH.
I've got pullets coming into lay now and they can really sound off, the older birds chime in sometimes too.

 

[Melanie9565]

My girls are quiet right now. However, my Ameraucana worried me today. She is just laying in the coop by the stumps we have in there. I thought she was dead for a minute. I picked her up (without her pitching a fit like normal) and sat her on the perch to examine her. She seemed fine then hopped down and went back to the same spot and laid down. Not her normal skittish self. I'm wondering if she's finally getting ready to lay? My Bard Rock got really mopey and went to the far corner and just laid there.......

 

[Peeps61]

Hi Peeps my young hen is in nesting box and has been there for a while. She is sitting down with butt up is something wrong with her?

Six months is old enough to be laying. She may be getting ready to lay, and is simply practicing what she needs to do in order to lay an egg. One day, she'll get up and there will be an egg for her efforts. What kind of hen is she? Some start later than others. Mine usually start between five and six months.

 

[Peeps61]

My girls are quiet right now. However, my Ameraucana worried me today. She is just laying in the coop by the stumps we have in there. I thought she was dead for a minute. I picked her up (without her pitching a fit like normal) and sat her on the perch to examine her. She seemed fine then hopped down and went back to the same spot and laid down. Not her normal skittish self. I'm wondering if she's finally getting ready to lay? My Bard Rock got really mopey and went to the far corner and just laid there.......

It could be that, or she could have been terrorized by something and simply laid there and submitted. My EE pullets will do the same thing - love to weave in and out of my feet like cats, but don't like me reaching for them. They also talk to me. It doesn't take much for one of them to run to the corner to get away from whoever is chasing and simply hide their heads under the edge of the coop and just lay there until the aggressor goes away. They've never drawn blood, but it's almost like an ostrich in the sand thing.

Or, she could be thinking about starting to lay. They typically will "squat" before the do that, although not all of them will do that either. Just watch them and see if it improves, or they start laying, or you see some other behavior that might explain it.

 

[Melanie9565]

I hope so. She looked so pathetic! It's awfully warm here today also....101. She could have been trying to cool off by laying in the sand. I need a chicken psychologist! Or a chicken whisperer!

 

[sunflowerbee]

Six months is old enough to be laying.  She may be getting ready to lay, and is simply practicing what she needs to do in order to lay an egg.  One day, she'll get up and there will be an egg for her efforts.  What kind of hen is she?  Some start later than others.  Mine usually start between five and six months.

She is a brown leghorn

 

[Peeps61]

I would say she's practicing to lay. My brown leghorns are egg laying machines. They started around 20 weeks.

 

[sunflowerbee]

I would say she's practicing to lay.  My brown leghorns are egg laying machines.  They started around 20 weeks.

That's great maybe my will start soon

 

[Peeps61]

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