No eggs YET

[Ellie Hooks]

Hey there... I'm new at this chicken thing... I have 8 very spoiled Barred Rock pullets.... I bought them locally in April approximately 3 weeks old plus or minus a week or so... that makes them 5 to 5 and half months old. .. two of them I think have the red face and waddles?? And they all are so sing song every time I'm in close proximity of them...they love me...lol... I think these are their pics.. do they look like they might lay soon????

 

[Ellie Hooks]

Well i cant get other one to be still comes out blurry maybe tomorrow but they look a lot alike

 

[aart]

Typical onset of lay is 18-28 weeks for most breeds.
It can differ depending on breed and time of year.

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 F-F) 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.)

 

[andreanar]

IM in the same boat! I have some pullets that look like full grown hens but still not laying haha. Little brats.

 

[aart]

and pullets can drive ya nuts with their on and off reddening of faces/combs/wattles.
They'll be redder than heck one minute, then go pale again...
...combo of maybe hormones and probably just exertion.