My ladies combs are starting to turn pink, I read (somewhere) that pink combs mean that they are getting ready to lay, does this have any truth to it? I also read that they usually take around 20 weeks to start laying... My ladies were hatched May 20th so October 20th will be 20 weeks. Isn't it a bit early to be expecting eggs?
The combs will turn red when they are ready to lay- they also sort of "fill out" in the rear. The age to start laying differs from chicken to chicken even within the same breed. I had one EE lay her first egg at 24 weeks old, and another EE not until 32 weeks old- both hatched same day- same breed, rasied together. Two wyandottes: on laid her first egg on week 21 the other not until 26 weeks old. You will notice the combs getting more red and they may "squat" when you come near,(which some call the egg squat) they did that a week or so before the first egg. I opened up their nest boxes at age 18 weeks just in case, and they "practiced" in there by kicking around the pine shavings and setting then leaving - but they put their first eggs in the nest just like they were supposed to. Good Luck- it's like finding a treasure when that first egg is sitting there perfect and beautiful
Well...that's what I thought...the combs turn redder the closer they are to laying. However...we have 4 Barred Rocks that we are waiting on to start laying. Three of the BR's have really red combs, one has a pale pink comb. Today, the one with the pink comb was the first to lay an egg! Go figure...
I am anxiously awaiting an egg from one of my 20 wk old girls. I have two production blacks (not entirely certain about that as they look very different from each other and the feed store I got them from can't remember what he ordered) one americauna and one RIR/New Hamp red mix. All, but the amer. have pretty red combs and all four have started doing the - hunching down and thinking I am a rooster thing in the last week - so I know they are getting close. Reading some of these posts - so many more weeks???? At least the last post said 17 wks for her breed. Patience is a virtue!
Sooo happy for this post! I guess it's a waiting game for sure. I know it has been. I think I'll just keep excited, and start watching now, because it could be anytime, or, it could be another few weeks. I've waited this long, guess I can a bit longer. My first flock went soon than my oldest pullet now. I'm glad someone posted that there was a 30 something week until an egg. Waiting..... and waiting.... and waiting... wait...can popcorn make you gain weight....oh well.
