Texas

[Starfire669]

Has Loudmouth laid any either?

No, she hasn't.

 

[bnjrob]

Everyone has different experiences with different birds, but I would think 17 weeks is still young, even for a leghorn. Of course, someone here will inevitably post they had a leghorn once that started laying at 10 weeks, blah, blah . . . . That's why I said experiences vary. I am comfortable saying that your leghorn and RSL will probably start laying before the other breeds you may have. I would watch daily after the next two weeks or so.

Yep.

I have variations even among members from the same hatch - and I only have one breed. It can be pretty variable although I do have a good number of pullets that have surprised me and starting laying at 4 1/2 months. When choosing breeders, I look at who matures the fastest and lays first. The traits selected for when breeding chickens can play a big part in how early or late the females start laying.

 

[Starfire669]

Odd (for The Ladies) Behavior: 

Yesterday, while shooing The Ladies back into their yard after letting them run amok in our back yard, two of them did something I've never seen them do before.  Fred (white leghorn) squatted down and stuck out her wings a bit when I hovered my hand over her.  Usually, this gets her to walk away from me, but this time she stayed squatted with her "elbows" out and let me pick her up.  She is the one we believe is laying our eggs.  After I carried Fred back to their yard, I went to shoo in the others...when Red (red sex-link) wandered off and wouldn't go with her friends.  I thought I could just startle her and she'd run into the chicken yard with the others, but when I pretended to run at her (from behind), she too squatted and put her "elbows" out.  So I picked her up and put her in the chicken yard.

Normally The Ladies avoid getting caught at all costs.  They never really mind being held, but they don't like being caught...so for two of them to "let" me pick them up without any effort or fuss had me a little concerned.  Is this something chickens do when they are getting close to laying age?  Otherwise, they are feisty as normal...

That's the squat, they do it when they want the rooster to breed them, lol. When I saw your chickens I thought they were a month older than mine. Mine are 18 weeks old, no squatting, or red combs here yet. Though their legs are a nice dark yellow now.

 

[tiedyemommy]

Ah - they are doing what many refer to here as "The Squat." This is the pose they will normally assume for a rooster trying to mate and indicates 1) submissiveness and 2) impending laying behavior. This, combined with a reddening of the comb and wattles indicates eggs are not far behind. Congrats!

WooHoo!

 

[tiedyemommy]

Everyone has different experiences with different birds, but I would think 17 weeks is still young, even for a leghorn. Of course, someone here will inevitably post they had a leghorn once that started laying at 10 weeks, blah, blah . . . . That's why I said experiences vary. I am comfortable saying that your leghorn and RSL will probably start laying before the other breeds you may have. I would watch daily after the next two weeks or so.

I only guess their age. We inherited the flock from our neighbor. I guessed them to be around 10wks when we got them, making them 17wks now...but I knew nothing about chickens before we got them, so I could have been way off on their age. I've read of leghorns laying as early as 16wks, but all our other breeds are said to primarily lay after 20wks. We were told they were all the same age...perhaps they are closer to 20wks.

 

[tiedyemommy]

No, she hasn't.

Hmmm...I wouldn't worry too much. Birds mature at different rates...even when they are the same age.

 

[Brookshire11]

Odd (for The Ladies) Behavior:

Yesterday, while shooing The Ladies back into their yard after letting them run amok in our back yard, two of them did something I've never seen them do before. Fred (white leghorn) squatted down and stuck out her wings a bit when I hovered my hand over her. Usually, this gets her to walk away from me, but this time she stayed squatted with her "elbows" out and let me pick her up. She is the one we believe is laying our eggs. After I carried Fred back to their yard, I went to shoo in the others...when Red (red sex-link) wandered off and wouldn't go with her friends. I thought I could just startle her and she'd run into the chicken yard with the others, but when I pretended to run at her (from behind), she too squatted and put her "elbows" out. So I picked her up and put her in the chicken yard.

Normally The Ladies avoid getting caught at all costs. They never really mind being held, but they don't like being caught...so for two of them to "let" me pick them up without any effort or fuss had me a little concerned. Is this something chickens do when they are getting close to laying age? Otherwise, they are feisty as normal...

Yep! Like everyone said, it's "The Squat" lol
Pearl does that and she's my only layer so far (still kinda on the early side). My BR is starting to do it too.
I'm guessing she'll be my next to lay. Hubbs placed his bet on our big BO.
But I was right bout Pearl, so we'll see.

I'm a professional chicken guesser!

 

[tiedyemommy]

Yep.

I have variations even among members from the same hatch - and I only have one breed. It can be pretty variable although I do have a good number of pullets that have surprised me and starting laying at 4 1/2 months. When choosing breeders, I look at who matures the fastest and lays first. The traits selected for when breeding chickens can play a big part in how early or late the females start laying.

I know little of the origins of our flock (where they came from, their exact age, etc). We inherited them from our neighbor. We have the one White Leghorn, one Red Sex-Link & three Easter Eggers. Since they were young when we got them, I expected a long wait for eggs...so whenever they start is fine by me. Once they all get going, we'll have more eggs than we need.

 

[tiedyemommy]

That's the squat, they do it when they want the rooster to breed them, lol. When I saw your chickens I thought they were a month older than mine. Mine are 18 weeks old, no squatting, or red combs here yet. Though their legs are a nice dark yellow now.

If your guess is correct (and it's much more likely than my guess), that would make 'em 22wks. That is very possible. Fred's comb started coming in 4-5 weeks ago & is now flopped over one eye & Red's comb has been taking shape lately as well. And our biggest EE, Olive, is bigger than our cat. Looks like we'll have lots of eggs very soon!

 

[Brookshire11]

And the age old question that I'm sure has been asked a billion times:

How does everyone store their eggs?
Wash vs washed
Room temp vs fridge

No roo here, so no fertilization to worry about.

I only have one laying, but they're all the same age so I gather it will pick up soon.
We'll sell a few and keep the rest
Right now I have one unwashed in the cabinet.
I know once you wash, the "bloom" is removed, and shelf life is diminished, correct?