What age for Orps to lay? Also, pics needed please....

chilisweet

Songster
11 Years
Jun 17, 2008
260
2
129
Vancouver, WA
We have a buff orpington, age unknown, who is showing facial signs that she is getting ready to lay. But as we don't know how old she is, we really have no idea when to expect an egg from her. Can you please post a picture of your gal at the age where she started laying, so we can compare our girl with yours, to see if she is close? And to get an estimate on how old she is?

Thanks!

~Caran
 
14951_audrey.jpg


Here is my Audrey. She has the prettiest face! She is supposed to be 8 months old, but I believe she is small and she hasn't layed an egg since we brought her home 13 days ago.
 
My BO Mary just started to lay yesterday. I don't have a pic yet but will say that she looked ready for about 6 weeks. She has had a huge comb and wattle that were red. Yesterday her comb and wattle were a deeper red and within a few hours she laid a beautiful brown egg. I am now looking for the deeper red in my other two BO. As for age, she is 26 weeks.

Good luck with your Orps.
 
Hi Caran ~
When you reach for her, does she do "the squat"? They will start doing that a couple of weeks before they start laying. You can also tell by checking how far apart the pelvic bones are. Not ready = 1 finger width apart. Ready = 2-3 finger widths apart. The tips of the bones are just below the vent, and you can easily check them. 20-24 weeks is when most hens start laying, but some lay earlier, some later... you never know.
smile.png

Good luck!
 
Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Hi Caran ~
When you reach for her, does she do "the squat"? They will start doing that a couple of weeks before they start laying. You can also tell by checking how far apart the pelvic bones are. Not ready = 1 finger width apart. Ready = 2-3 finger widths apart. The tips of the bones are just below the vent, and you can easily check them. 20-24 weeks is when most hens start laying, but some lay earlier, some later... you never know.
smile.png

Good luck!

how would you feel for this..

would you feel from the rear side or the front side. Reaching hand???? where..​
 
I usually do it from the back. Find the vent, then start feeling around (towards the girl's head) until you find the pelvic bones... they would feel like this : \\ / The distance between the tips of those two bones (the bottom of the V) is what you're looking for.
smile.png
 
I did some feeling around.. and I hope that I am wrong.. but every one of those little buggers were 1 finger.. to bumps that were kind of pointing out the back.. that attach to the leg bone. But watching them for a little my EE looks like she is squating... if that is what she is doing.. she is like on her knees.. (her backward knees)

ETA: I am soo sorry that I am hyjacking this thread.. but it is kinda the same topic.. (when are those birds going to lay????)
 
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Sometimes my Orps dont lay until 22 to 30 weeks due to slow growing...these are not hatchery bred birds tho.
 
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Quote:
Would love to see a picture if you can post one.
smile.png
My BO's have redish faces, but not alot of comb/wattle development. thanks!
 

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