So Our Hen's Squatting... Will She Lay?

[SulkyBantam]

Our black sex link/barnyard mix just started squatting. It was hard to find out because she is FAST and only squats when cornered.

This about the time the seller said she'd lay, but I'm not sure about their opinion because they always say that and sometimes its months later.

So, after their first squat, when will they lay?

In my experience its usually a couple of weeks but you might say differently or have other experiences with this breed. She's a lot heavier than before and her vent is a little pinker but there is no other egg laying traits, and she has not visited the eggbox.

We really want eggs because only 1 in 10 chickens lays and we hardly find them because they are always in a hedge somewhere!

This is her.

Her comb is a little bigger and much redder and she is a bit fatter now. The pic was taken approx. 2 months ago. In the second picture she is behind the other chicken. And she's yawning not screaming!

 

[sourland]

She will lay - a few days to a month or so - ie , when SHE decides to.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Really?

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

I agree with @sourland she is probably squatting because she’s submitting to you. She could lay anytime.

 

[SulkyBantam]

She has not squatted before, she just ran. This is clear squatting not submitting to me I don't think.

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

She has not squatted before, she just ran. This is clear squatting not submitting to me I don't think.

Well squatting is a form of submitting to the rooster.

 

[NatJ]

after their first squat, when will they lay?

In my experience its usually a couple of weeks but you might say differently or have other experiences with this breed.

No experience with that particular breed, but I once had a pullet squatting at 3 weeks old! Nice, clear, unambigious squatting. It was 5 months or so after that before she laid any eggs. I think she continued to squat regularly the entire time, although it's been long enough I don't recall for sure.

That one experience made me give up on squatting as a sign of maturity

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well mine all laid within 10-14 days of squatting (not submission type squatting, but consistent, tail-in-the-air squatting)... until now lol. I have one hold out that I predicted would lay last week, but still hasn't - she's messing up nests, her comb is red, she's squatting, but still no eggs. So I still chose "couple of weeks" but that can vary.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Well squatting is a form of submitting to the rooster.

We have two roos but she runs a mile from them and they just peck her .

 

[aart]

We really want eggs because only 1 in 10 chickens lays and we hardly find them because they are always in a hedge somewhere!

Might need to keep them confined so they learn to use the coop nests.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

We have two roos but she runs a mile from them and they just peck her .

That is not going to help matters, very stressful for the girls.
Might think about removing at least one if not both males.

How old are all these birds, in weeks?