Should I be on egg watch?

[EggSighted4Life]

Egg binding can affect pullets because of space or any bird that is laying a soft egg.

Also double yolkers or extremely large (solid) eggs that are a hiccup can be impassable as well, (sometimes requiring breaking).... Had a chicken lay 104 gram egg, I felt pretty bad for her, when average is 63 g.

Glad that isn't this case though!

 

[sourland]

This method seems questionable to me. Different breeds are bigger or smaller and we all have different size fingers.

Bottom line is that I know of none that is better. Common sense is of the essence. No width between pelvic bones regardless the size of the bird indicates non layers. Medium to maximum width indicates layers. I have never had an eggbound hen that was a 'first layer'.

 

[Katie’s Coop]

Well, the shortest day of the year just passed so a lot of those ladies might start thinking about laying pretty soon. All are individuals though, regardless of what's allegedly normal for their breed. Some may even sing the egg song when they get startled shortly (weeks) before they lay.

When you notice a lady gone missing and nothing else out of the ordinary... she's probably busy. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours. I've seen broody raised chicks and a (boy)brood mate both be told to stay while the hens went to lay their eggs. I'll never figure out how they communicated it AND got cooperation! But it was sure cool to see.

Egg binding is possible even at the first one, but that probably isn't it this time. Always good have things on your radar though! Oh and white leghorn are quite striking to see their big red combs on their petite bodies. Everybody just loved to see that girl, she was a character too. Pics of the other end ALWAYS welcome!

Eggs are coming, very exciting!

this is her “other end” a few days ago. Comb is getting bigger and redder every day

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Much better.

Wow her comb is really floppy already.

 

[Fishybiz]

View attachment 1216387 my 21 week old leghorn has been squawking a lot this past week and I’m still waiting for her first egg. I checked her today and she immediately squatted so I checked her vent. It looks like the photo and is pulsating

Whoa!!! I am scarred again. Reminds me of when my first was born.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

UHG, I wasn't expecting that to be looking me in the eye!



X2

Gary

 

[sonandsal]

Hi there
I Just thought I would mention that my lovely 3/4 leghorns, Meryl and Beryl, that I had previously did not start to lay until they were around 27-28 weeks.
Merry Christmas for tomorrow and all the best for 2018.

 

[aart]

Bottom line is that I know of none that is better. Common sense is of the essence. No width between pelvic bones regardless the size of the bird indicates non layers. Medium to maximum width indicates layers. I have never had an eggbound hen that was a 'first layer'.

Indeed.
Birds and human fingers all vary in size. It takes some practice/experience with observing and comparing layers to non-layers before it's easy to tell with a glance and quick poke. Having a batch of pullets near POL is a great time to get this experience, with the added bonus of knowing who is laying what egg for future reference(every time you find a new pullet egg examine all birds to find who laid it), and both birds and keeper learn become accustomed to handling and examination.

Here's my notes on the subject:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Katie’s Coop]

Congrats to my first layer “Pink”! She is a 22 wk old white Leghorn and one of the youngest in my mixed flock of 10. Praise to her and shame to the remaining 9 slackers. 45g small but it’s her first and it’s perfect! It amazes me how they instinctively know what to do and where to do it! The larger brown egg is the decoy.

View attachment 1220534

 

[aart]

WooHoo!!!