turning 6 months in winter...how will I know when egg laying starts?

[Rushdoggie]

Hi all;

Forgive me if I am asking something easy to find here, I have searched but can't find quite what I am looking for.

My 3 girls turned 6 months in December, but of course its winter ad here in WA the days are extra short this time of year.

I think they have turned a corner into maturity, they now squat when you approach them, stuff like that.

Their coop does not have a next box in it yet, I did not put it in initially as I didn't want them to start sleeping in it. I have 2 that are not consistent at roosting. 1 in particular likes to sleep below the popular roost.

I'm worried that if I put the next box in now they will start sleeping in it, as I think the days are too short still for egg laying. But if I don't have a nest box in the coop, and they start laying on the ground will it be hard to get them in the nest? If I put fake eggs in the nest will that help prevent them from snoozing in it?

Also, they do not return to their coop, or even their run unless its almost dark. They have a small enclosed coop, a 4x 8 enclosed run, all inside a chicken yard and occasionally I let them free range in my fenced yard. Should I start keeping them in a smaller area until they start laying and are consistently laying in their nests?

Finally, is there a consistent "hours of daylight" that means no lay or lay? I keep finding conflicting info.

TIA.

 

[imnukensc]

Your pullets are very close to laying. I'd put a nest box in now. Pullets going into their first winter will often lay right through winter regardless of the amount of daylight. Putting fake eggs in the nest box won't keep them from sleeping in there, but it will help to let them know where to lay. Not going into the coop/run until nearly dark is normal.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Get ready! They will be laying soon!

 

[BrandonVercnocke]

I’d depends also on the breeds of chicken you have. My blue Australorp started laying at 22 weeks on January 11. Days were very short. I would put the nest box in. Don’t be surprised if they lay a few from the roost bar. Mine did.

 

[Ms Clucky]

I got my first egg Dec 3 2016 and they were born in June of that year. But my chickens are Old English. BrandonVercnock is right, it does depend on the breed. Once they started laying, well you see the picture. :] And that is just a few days. The green one is from an Ameraucana we had.

 

[Molpet]

put the nest box in lower than the lowest roost

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...n-pullets-are-ready-to-lay-first-eggs.943957/

 

[PouleChick]

My girls of a similar age have all started laying in the last couple of weeks so yes I agree with the others - get a nest box in and good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're likely to lay soon so I'd put in the boxes now. Also if you do have to deal with nest box sleepers, it's better to find out now instead of after they're laying, so you don't get pooped on eggs every morning.

 

[Rushdoggie]

Not going into the coop/run until nearly dark is normal.

Yes, but does this mean they might decide to lay elsewhere in their domain? Should I give them less room to roam until they are regularly laying in the next?

I’d depends also on the breeds of chicken you have.

I have one Buff Orpington, one black Australope and one who was supposed to be an Americauna but who is probably an Easter Egger.

They're likely to lay soon so I'd put in the boxes now. Also if you do have to deal with nest box sleepers, it's better to find out now instead of after they're laying, so you don't get pooped on eggs every morning.

If they start doing that, is there a better way to discourage this?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If they start doing that, is there a better way to discourage this?

If they start trying to sleep in the nest box after install, the first thing I'd do is block access to the nest box at night and then uncover them in the morning.

Photos of your coop, inside and outside, especially showing roost placement, can help troubleshoot why 1 or 2 of the birds isn't roosting consistently.