"Submissive" crouch

[jdoane]

Is there an expected time line that you see between when a pullet starts with the "submissive crouch" and first Egg? I have a flock of 22 (almost 23) week olds (Gold Sex Lin, Barred Rock, Black Australorp, and English Orp). My Barred Rock and Gold Sex link have had very red combs for 3-4 weeks and my Gold Sex Link has been crouching anytime I come near for not quite a week. Is there a way to make a guess on timing? It's been so cold I want to know whether I need to go out checking for eggs more often to prevent freezing.

I am not providing extra heat or light.

 

[TwoCrows]

Usually within a week of the first squatting you should find an egg. So I would say in the next day or two, you should see an egg. You are VERY close!!

 

[jdoane]

WhooooHoooo!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Make sure to let the hens know where to lay their eggs or that first egg might get laid outside somewhere where you can't find it. LOL Use some fake eggs in the nest boxes to let the hens know it is safe to lay their eggs there.

 

[jdoane]

I have one slightly older pullet who is already laying and using the nest boxes. Will that be enough of a model for the others? Also I have been closing off the box at night because the younger ones are wanting to sleep in there. Should I stop doing that?

 

[jossome]

That’s funny... I'm brand new to chickens, my girls just started laying around New Years... one of mine started that squat and eggs came 2-3 days later... then a second one started doing it, and she laid the next day! I didn't know that's what it meant until the second one did it!

Congrats!

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, I would continue to close off the boxes at night only until the young ones stop trying to sleep in them. It shouldn't take long for them to get the hang of staying on the roost bars at night. Some young pullets can be babies however. LOL

If you are quickly removing this one egg from the older pullet, I wouldn't trust that the newer birds know to lay in the boxes. When a bird goes to lay her egg, she needs to know that it is safe to lay her egg there as well. So when she sees another egg, she will instinctively lay hers there. If the birds are new to laying and don't see an egg in the boxes, they can become nervous to lay there. I like to leave fake eggs in the boxes. Ceramic ones work well. I got mine on line many years ago and these fake eggs still lay in my nest boxes. LOL

 

[jdoane]

On Short notice would a plastic easter egg filled with sand work?

 

[TwoCrows]

It might as long as it is not a really bright color. If you have any paint that you could paint the egg white or light brown, this easter egg will work fantastic!

 

[jdoane]

Perfect! I'll go check what colors I have. Maybe I'll get lucky and have a pale yellow one!