Signs of egg laying

[kelschicks]

I have read a few articles on here but how can I tell when my hen is ready to start laying? I've heard of their combs being very red? I have a momma hen she is a year and had a baby chick, she is new to my coop so I build her a nesting box.

 

[bobthebunny]

Their combs will get really big (not true for all hens) and when you bend down to pick them up they'll squat. When you see that you can eggspect within a week or 2.

 

[bobthebunny]

And

.

 

[ShockValue]

Combs reddening
Squatting
Practice Egg Song
Widening pelvic bones
Tail raising
Scratching in nest box


Yours may exhibit only some of the above, but they are all signs. Mine took about 2-3 weeks to move through that process in roughly that order. Once I found them playing in the nest boxes, it was only a couple days until I had my first egg.

They do mature at different rates though. I had 4 of the same breed, and there was almost a month difference between the first egg and the last hen starting to lay.

 

[HathsHackle]

You have to buy your boyfriend a truck then the hen will start laying

 

[jentralala]

x2 on squatting.That was my biggest hint, the first one to squat has started laying before the one with the reddest comb/waddles. And they really start to find their voices when they're getting close!

 

[MeepBeep]

Finding an egg in the nesting box is a sure sign they are laying...

 

[kelschicks]

Hey @HathsHackle buy your girlfriend a ring then they will really start laying hahaha

 

[kelschicks]

I am just learning the ropes, I just fenced in a large area for them to roam, I was letting them free range but they wondered too far off and i live in open land l, I worried about hawks and predators, how far do they really wonder? I have also tried the golf ball trick in the nesting box, the hen doesn't really react to it so much.