the rooster touch test??

[smom1976]

Ok so I really dont know what to call it.. but I am getting 3 eggs a day.. Two that look almost the same and one that is different.. (smaller and darker) I have been petting all of the ladies.. and I have four that squat when I pet their backs.. Two of my BSL are squating for sure.. and those two are my suspects for eggs that are the same.. I have a cochin that is one week older than the rest of the group and she is squating and is my suspect for the smaller egg.. but I also have an austrolorp that squated for me tonight. any ideas??

also do polish lay later than others.. they are sooo not even interested in the egg thing.. and just out of curiousity are they .... not as smart ... as others as well.. mine seem sort of dumb...

 

[dancingbear]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're asking. Are you trying to figure out which hens have started laying? What's a rooster touch test, and what does it have to do with laying? What's a BSL?

 

[the simple life]

How old are your black sex links? I have some that are 24 weeks old today and I just got my first egg.
They started squatting when I petted them a few days ago, maybe 4 days ago and I got and egg today.
That is a sign that they are ready to lay.
Have you gone out in the morning to see who is in the nest boxes?
I went to let my girls out to free range today and when I opend the coop one of the sex links was sitting in the nest box. I shut the door and waited, about 10 minutes later she started making noise to come out so I opened the door and there was an egg in the nest.
Are you home at the time of day you suspect they are laying.
You could just see who is sitting in the boxes.
As far as trying to figure it out by the shape and color of the eggs, its hard because pullet eggs don't always look like the eggs of a mature hen. You may not be able to identify them by that.

 

[dancingbear]

Ok, got it now. Sorry, I just wasn't sure what Smom was asking. I've never heard of a rooster touch test, and actually, I didn't know hens would squat when petting when they reach laying age.

And BSL must be black sex link.

 

[the simple life]

whoops, double post, dang computer.

 

[the simple life]

Yup, you got it dancing bear. BSL had me confused at first, and I own them haha , but I looked at her signature line to see if I could figure out who she was talking about and saw she had the black sex links.
The touch test is something that I just stumbled on myself.
I went to pet my girls a few days ago and some would crouch right down, pull wings forward and lift their butts a little and some would just hit the ground.
I went on here and asked why they would be doing this and everyone answered that they are being subordinate to me, like I am their rooster and they would also probably start laying shortly.
Sure enough, 4 days later I got my first egg

 

[dancingbear]

Always something new to learn! Chickens are so interesting. I've been raising them for years, and still learn new things almost every day.

 

[RickiHupp]

Omg, I didnt know that!! I am soooo going out and petting all my chickens tommorrow morning!!

 

[dancingbear]

So do they stop squatting while being petted when they're old and stop laying?

 

[smom1976]

oh so I had to run out of the house when I posted this .. all the questions about my question were answered and others that I had were asked... you all are soooo wonderful...

But do they stop squatting after they have been laying for a while?

Aparently I am a good rooster LOL
they are subordinate to me

but they wouldnt be not squatting and laying eggs would they.. I go out all the time and see if they have layed anything and always miss it..

go and there will be a very warm egg.. and I think that some watch because more than one comes out of the coop to greet me..