/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    Not a member yet? join BYC here & then introduce yourself in our community forum here.

not interested...

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by timco, Jul 6, 2008.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Jul 6, 2008 #1
    timco

    timco In the Brooder

    69
    0
    39
    Mar 14, 2008
    Salt Lake City, UT
    I made our girls nesting boxes 3 days ago and not one golf ball has been moved. We have 2 EE, 2 RIR, and 2 BR. All about 20 weeks now. Did your girls take to the boxes right away?

    Tim
     
  2. Jul 6, 2008 #2
    smith2

    smith2 Songster

    596
    1
    149
    Jan 5, 2008
    Paris, TN
    How old are they? Mine didn't take to boxes at first. They layed all over the place for the first 1-2 weeks, then figured out what they were supposed to do in the boxes. Hope this helps.
     
  3. Jul 6, 2008 #3
    arlee453

    arlee453 Songster

    3,768
    12
    221
    Aug 13, 2007
    near Charlotte NC
    patience....patience....

    My girls waited until 23 weeks to give us any eggs, and didn't really show much interest in the nest boxes/golf balls, etc until just a day or two before they actually laid the first egg.

    Are their combs and wattles bright red? Do they 'squat' when you touch their backs or get close? Those are good signs. Mine started laying about 2 weeks after they started to squat.
     
  4. Jul 6, 2008 #4
    LoneCowboy

    LoneCowboy Songster

    2,322
    0
    199
    Aug 26, 2007
    Longmont, CO
    Be thankful, if they discover them too early before laying, then they just sleep and poop in them and that's not what you want. when they are ready to lay, they will start looking for a safe, quiet, dark place to lay
     
  5. Jul 7, 2008 #5
    crooked stripe

    crooked stripe Songster

    846
    4
    161
    Jan 14, 2008
    N.E Ohio- Suffield
    Quote:arlee453 said it perfectly. Hit these points of interest and you will get eggs. John
     
  6. Jul 7, 2008 #6
    timco

    timco In the Brooder

    69
    0
    39
    Mar 14, 2008
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Thank you all. All have bright red faces but the EEs are not as red as the others. Only the EEs do not squat, the other 4 do. We have given them what they need and we will wait it out. I thought they would explore the boxes, but I see that is good they are not. Should I continue to let them free-range my backyard in the evenings closing in on laying time? We let them out for 2-3 hrs every evening to browse the yard and they pace the fence line after 6 PM or so....

    Thanks again, Tim
     
  7. Jul 7, 2008 #7
    miss_jayne

    miss_jayne Lady_Jayne

    9,089
    5
    271
    Jun 26, 2008
    Columbiaville, MI
    another thing i noticed for signs of layers...my roo only mounts the girls that are laying so far! and they do squat. i think one was 'practicing'. she kept getting in a nest box, setting and then checking underneath. she'd get out of the box, in the box (rinse and repeat!)
    finally, voila! the next day she layed! and again today!

    and mine took right to the boxes...used golf balls also.
     
  8. Jul 7, 2008 #8
    chickypoo

    chickypoo Songster

    169
    2
    131
    Mar 13, 2008
    Colorado
    Ours have just started laying [​IMG] [​IMG] They are about 17 weeks old, so as far as age goes, keep waiting. We put golf balls in the boxes and that helps a lot. Our roo mounts the girls but they all look alike so I can't really tell if he is only mounting the ones who are laying. However this behavior only started within the last week so it is a good sign to see.

    One more thing, when they are about to lay they make a very loud, long squawk. Our girls will go in the coop, check out the different boxes, pick one, scratch around a bit, then sit.
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by: