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She squats, she cackles........

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by luvmychicknkids, Jul 25, 2008.

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  1. Jul 25, 2008 #1
    luvmychicknkids

    luvmychicknkids Canning Squirrel

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    and I can't believe I am admitting this, but I even looked at her vent and it looks bigger and moister than my other girl her age (I feel kinda gross saying that). Her comb is bright red. She is about 17 weeks old (maybe, my brain went bye bye) and she is HUGE. Soooooooo...........the question of the hour is.....where are the eggs? She has yet to lay one. I know she isn't hiding them because there is nowhere for her to do that. Is it possible she is just getting ready....REALLY ready, before laying?
     
  2. Jul 25, 2008 #2
    Amethyste

    Amethyste For Love of Boo...

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    My girls did that too... took them a few weeks of me shaking my finger at them and saying "The book and the forums SAY this means you are supposed to lay very soon!!!"

    However they proceeeded to ignore me and lay within a couple of weeks lol

    Stubborn birdies!

    I can almost hear them "I'll do what I want!! You can't tell ME what to do!!" Typical teenage girls lol
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2008
  3. Jul 25, 2008 #3
    Guitartists

    Guitartists Resistance is futile

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    I have noticed my pullets combs are getting red..... I keep checking for that wondrous FIRST egg... so far no eggs! [​IMG]
     
  4. Jul 25, 2008 #4
    Portia

    Portia Songster

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    Some of my girls have started laying and some are still working it out. It is not uncommon for me to find a hen sitting in a nesting box for a good 30 minutes; arranging and clucking contentedly. Then she leaves and....no egg. This is especially true for those that either haven't started laying yet, or I have only received 1-2 eggs from. I have no idea whether this is normal or not, but I just figure they are working it out.
    This morning has been particularly tumultulous as they all seem to want to sit in the same nest, so when one is in the next stands in front or near her and squawks up a storm. More often than not the setter leaves, without depositing an egg, and the next one enters. I've found many of them coming back for second or 3rd settings, so I guess they are trying it out for size in preparation? So far 7/14 have produced at least 1 egg...maybe more today. I can say one thing though, my girls lay throughout the day, one is even a mid-late afternoon layer. So much for collecting the eggs in the morning [​IMG]
     
  5. Jul 25, 2008 #5
    arlee453

    arlee453 Songster

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    All thing come to those who wait....

    My girls always tease me for a few weeks until they finally produce that egg

    It will happen, I promise....but give her another 3 weeks at least before you start threatening her with the stew pot!
     
  6. Jul 25, 2008 #6
    Buff Hooligans

    Buff Hooligans Scrambled

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    I think maybe if you hold her firmly and shake her up and down, maybe an egg will fall out.




    [just kidding]
     
  7. Jul 25, 2008 #7
    goatkeepers

    goatkeepers Songster

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    Buff, good idea, I haven't tried that yet. [​IMG]

    I am waiting on my 3 RIRs as well. They are about 18 weeks old, maybe 19 and no egg yet. [​IMG]
     
  8. Jul 25, 2008 #8
    luvmychicknkids

    luvmychicknkids Canning Squirrel

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    Quote:I would NEVER do that....I plan to squeeze instead of shake!!! [​IMG]

    Seriously, I have threatened her with a good squeeze and she just gives me the evil eye!!! I have got to the point where I check about a million times a day. The chickens look at me like "oh, YOU again???" LOL
     
  9. Jul 25, 2008 #9
    Buff Hooligans

    Buff Hooligans Scrambled

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    The way I got our Buff Orps to start laying was to nonchalantly act like I didn't care a whit about whether they EVER did or not. Didn't care a bit.
     
  10. Jul 25, 2008 #10
    All about the EGG

    All about the EGG Songster

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    So close to Wisconsin I can smell the cheese!
    Our sex links are 15 weeks, and we have been getting small eggs, mainly by one hen. Well today we got two eggs! One small (from another hen), and one medium...it was a double yolker too!
     
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