My roo is mounting my pullet so shouldnt she be laying?! <UPDATE>

[sangel4you]

Hey everybody,
My 1yr old roo that I got two months ago has shown no interest in mating with the girls until this past week. It started when I noticed some scarring on the comb of my most advanced pullet (they're 19.5 weeks) and she's been red and full in the comb and waddles for over two weeks now. Then last night I noticed her feathers were disheveled and some broken over her rump and that he was following her around the whole time I was there. so my question is is she's been that red that long and squatting almost as long, and he's mating with her bc her hormones are finally up to par...shouldnt she be laying by now?

Also this has nothing to do with it, but those of you that witnessed and actualy lay, how long approx does it take for a hen to lay an egg? I am just curious about how long the actualy process takes. I know it's 24-28hrs to make an egg but how long is the actualy lay?

 

[starforever61]

most pullets will start laying around 20-22 weeks of age. it takes a few seconds for them to actually lay the egg, but they like to make a nice nest and find the right way to squat. lol i know it's really suspenseful!

 

[sangel4you]

I know the age range, but I thought if her hormones were high enough that the old guy would want to mate her, that she should be beyond the first laying stage... maybe I was ill informed. I thought egg laying came first, then getting abused by the roo! Lol

 

[cmom]

The Roo may mate with her but she will lay when she is ready.

 

[gritsar]

My roo(s) were trying to mate the pullets when they were 10 weeks old. Obviously it was awhile after that before the pullets were ready to lay.

 

[embkm]

2 of my girls have been really red since they were 16-17 weeks. And the roo has been mating with all of them. They are now over 21 weeks and I still haven't had the first egg.

 

[sangel4you]

Well...
Here's my story. I worked yesterday, then we had a festival to go to, and ended up in the in-law drive way having fun until close to midnight and since I had to work this morning again on the way home I made the comment to DH that " we should stop in to check for eggs on the way home. Although, they are officially 20weeks today and of course we've checked everyday the last two weeks and they haven't laid so what are the chances they really lay today? They're good on food/water so lets just go home and you can check in the morning."
So I'm at work today and abour 11 I get a call from DH and he says "I have an egg, what do you want me to do with it?!" I thought he was joking but then a few hours later he calls me again and says...that one must have been from yesterday! Because she laid another one this afternoon!" LOL What a goober she is! She waits until I lose faith in her THEN she decides to lay!!! So yay! Below are pics...

the original pic of first one DH took:


Then it in my hand for size:

And both the first and second one on the way home from the barn:


Thanks for looking! and for all the "waiting" support! Lol

 

[Mahlzeit]

Congrats on the first eggs!