My crazy chooks!

[smokeykk]

Well i suppose that one of my girls could be doing an egg squat but i don't know what that would look like. She's a New Hampshire, and I read that they are supposed to lay sooner than other breeds? Her comb and wattles have started growing again I can tell you that, she has these gigantic wattles from what used to be little reddish flaps. When i put my hand on her back she sometimes squats but, is that the egg squat? And I have another question. I have a BO that you can barely see her comb or wattles cause they're so small. Is it possible she could be ready to start laying? Both of these chickens are about 15 or 16 weeks old, and the buff also was singing the egg song the other day. we had them out free ranging and when we were starting to catch them to put them back inside she was standing about 7 feet away from the coop and doing the egg song, ya know, the BUCK BUCK BUCK BUCK BUCK BUGAWK, one.

so anyway, could anyone tell me, is this the egg squat, could the buff be laying soon, and if not, why was she singing the egg song? Oh and I thought i might add, that i haven't gotten any eggs at all yet. (I"M so eggcited because I want my first egg!!!!)

 

[mcjessen]

It does sound like your New Hampshire is doing the egg squat.

I have two Buff Orpingtons who just turned 19 weeks yesterday. My dominant BO started squatting last Thursday 8/4. Two days later (Saturday) my Australorp (next in pecking order) squatted and yesterday my other Buff squatted. The lowest girl in the order started singing what I thought was the egg song but it turns out she was yelling at the neighbors dog. Same bock bock bock bugawk. If you hear the song again and can rule out any perceived threat the chicken may be reacting to, then it is probably a practice egg song.

I've heard most people on this board say that they've had first eggs from BO's anywhere from 18-24 weeks. I'm not sure on the Hampshire. If your BO's comb and wattles are still pink and very small, I'd venture a guess she's not near ready yet. My girls' wattles are almost 2 inches long and bright/deep red. I'm thinking mine will start laying in the next 2-3 weeks. Just in time for the fair. LOL!

BTW, there is a video on here somewhere of a woman who filmed her girl doing the squat. Once you see it you'll know it.

Hope that all helps and in no way am I an expert.

Good luck.

 

[smokeykk]

Well thank you! My New Hampshire is definitley doing the squat, and her comb and wattles are getting huge. She's about.... I would say 16 weeks or 17 weeks. And maybe my Buff was just singing that because we were trying to catch her? There was nothing threatening her (unless of course she thought we were a threat

)

 

[WhySayWhat]

I have no info for a NHR, but my BR and SLWs that are laying sound like one of those quarter machines they had around when I was a kid that "laid" eggs with toys in them. First time I heard it I cracked up! We have our coop monitored by security camera and even when one was choosing to lay outside the coop, you could hear when she was done! I have one SLW that I'm still waiting on too...one of those "I read they should lay early and the BR should start later" things, my BR started at 18 weeks on the nose and the other SLW started right at 20 weeks. THey are now 21 weeks, so I'm not "too" worried about the late bloomer I have.

As for the redness of the wattles, mine all got big red combs and wattles several weeks before they started laying, to the point that I had almost let everyone who commented here talk me into thinking my BR was a roo!