Physical Signs***Update***Photos & More ???

[CoyoteMagic]

my girls are just about 14 weeks old now. I know that they will probably start laying somewhere between 18 & 22 weeks if all that I have read is right (they are black sex links and RIR's)

Are there any physical changes that you have noticed in your pullets just before they start to lay and what are they?

 

[davecash]

it sounds weird, but the hips get wider, if i recall correctly

 

[Southern28Chick]

I've been told they'll start to squat when you or a roo comes up to them. And that's a sign that they are sexually mature and laying is coming soon

Edited for spelling

 

[justusnak]

Yup, and watch thier combs..they tend to get redder close to laying time as well.

 

[BeckyLa]

Also their combs will get bigger and redder and she'll let the roo breed her. Also, they will check out the nest box and start fooling with the bedding making it into a bowl shape. Then you know time is near!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Ok, I've been looking for those physical changes and got a few questions and pics.

I have black sex links and RRI's. My RRI's already have small combs that are red. Are they going to get bigger and redder?

The combs on my BSL are really really small. Only one of them has even a touch of red on it. This are going to get bigger too?

These are my first chickens so I don't really know what to expect.

 

[silkiechicken]

yeah, all their combs will get bigger once they start laying, they will turn redder too, but I have some hens that have a lot of black pigment on their combs so it was a bit less noticeable. Some birds might not even lay until they are 7-8 months old but if you have specific egg laying types, they should be starting pretty soon. They look pretty mature to me. Also, some birds combs will always be smaller than other birds so they will have different final sizes to them. The waiting game is always so hard!

 

[DementedHam]

hey coyote, do you have pics of your black sex links when they were like two months? if you do, could you post them or email them to me please? i think i have two but i'd like to make sure. Also, were their middle toes white in the begginning because the ones i had had one white toe [the middle one] and the rest were blackish but now their whole foot is blackish.

 

[MayberrySaint]

I got my first egg this week and I'm sure it was from one of the Australorps...within 1 week, their combs seemed to grow very quickly and become very red. In fact, I was worried that I had a few roosters...:-(
Also, the feed intake has increased dramatically the last 2 weeks.

 

[ruth]

Hi Coyote - my BSL chicks are the same age of yours and look to be about the same size - you can see mine on my chicken page link. Mine don't have any more comb than yours do - just small ones - but they are red and they have been squatting when they come near me but I thought they just did that when I petted them. Seems like they've always done it but I can't swear to it because I've never really handled my chicks - just pet one now and then if it gets on my chair. But it does seem that they are coming around more and immediately squat when I reach for them - so I've gotten their nest boxes ready - and my taste buds for those free-range eggs. But was wondering same thing about the combs.