*** SIGNS YOUR HEN WILL LAY HER 1ST EGG!! ((PLEASE POST SIGNS YOU HAVE SEEN!)) ***

[Chicken Frenzie]

If they squat, I know my risk egg is coming soon! Also DID YOU KNOW (wear gloves) if the two bones by a chickens vent can fit your 3 fingers (wide enough) then they'll lay eggs soon. For my bantams they're about two fingers. Notice how rooster's bones by their vent are very tight, they don't lay eggs!

 

[mat2dong]

Hi there. I think the biggest indicator for me is what i call the egg squat. My silkie suddenly started doing the squat, you know the submissive squat with their wings spread out a bit like they are waiting for a roo, plus she was super fussy. She walked around all morning throwing a vocal tantrum, then later that day...poof a tiny egg  . Her house mate a bantam Easter Egger also did the squat and was a tad noisy a few days before her first egg. Our older girls a Lav Orp and Red Sex-link also did the squat. 

I'm in agreement with squatting being a really big indicator that your hens are going to be laying soon I think the feathers fanned out are an indicator as well.

 

[Cknldy]

I got a big surprise on the 21st- my black giant gave us her first egg! I was given 2 'mutts' in the summer, guy said they were red sexlink black giant crosses. I'd only had rhode island reds up to that point so i looked up info on the other breeds and figured out the freebies would start to lay anywhere from 5 mths to a year old. The one that acted like a hen also had feather feet so she has some cochin in her. (the guy said he had also raised cochins) I knew it was a she. Then the one that looked like pure black giant and acted like a roo got friendly like a hen. On morning of 21st SURPRISE! 'Roo' was standing over the very first egg and looked at me very indignantly when i took it I turn bedding every day and check on them twice a day but other than becoming more friendly there were no other signs from them. Only 1 is laying right now but I'm sure the other won't be far behind as she is mixed with the good layer breeds.

 

[MouseCheese]

What's going on when they exhibit this squatting behavior while also "poofing" out head and neck feathers, spreading wings? The catch is my girls are only 10 WEEKS old! All Barred Rock pullets. Are they just practicing the behavior as they mature? They don't do it for long.

 

[Cknldy]

Those are little chickies still- just playing being chicks or pasty bum. Stretching and pluming! Beautiful isn't it?

 

[MouseCheese]

No pasty booties here...must just be girls being girls!

 

[mat2dong]

What's going on when they exhibit this squatting behavior while also "poofing" out head and neck feathers, spreading wings? The catch is my girls are only 10 WEEKS old! All Barred Rock pullets. Are they just practicing the behavior as they mature? They don't do it for long.

I would say they could be practicing or it may be just a submission thing. They may think your a rooster