what clues are there to know when a chicken is going to start laying eggs

[Mah1Mah1]

My silky was laying for a month. She went broody. After 3 weeks on a golfball,she is now socializing with the other 3 silkys. When will she start laying again?

usually they start laying after a couple of days sometimes its longer (depending on age, breed and broody time). My girls go broody often- every couple of months a couple of times- give your silky a bit of time, after all she has just recovered from nursing a bit of plastic for 3 weeks!

 

[Mah1Mah1]

Today Millie (23 weeks 5 days) was very annoyed when I began to clean the coop. She kept coming in and squawking at me. As soon as I finished (only about 20 minutes) she went in and started scratching, which she did for about an hour. I remembered I had an alabaster egg so I put it into the box with her. 10 minutes later we heard a lot of loud squawking which alarmed the two other chickens and the dogs. I went to look, but there was nothing. About fifteen minutes later Millie was outside wandering nonchalantly with her sisters. Inside the nesting box was a beautiful blue egg lying next to the alabaster egg! Our first. I felt so proud of her. I was very reluctant to eat it - it took several hours before I could do it. Perhaps that's the problem with naming your chickens. I felt sort of cannibalistic. But it was delicious.

What breed is she? The egg sounds beautiful!!!

 

[docrobin]

What breed is she? The egg sounds beautiful!!!

She is an Americauna.

 

[Melnurse]

Today, one of my buff Orpingtons does actually squat whenever I reach down to her or if she's close while I'm cleaning the nest boxes (which have yet to have a real egg in them). She's been doing this for about a week, I'd say. Now, while the other 4 are out and about and free ranging in their area, she is in the coop, scratching around in there. I may see an egg soon. Crossing fingers!

 

[docrobin]

Today, one of my buff Orpingtons does actually squat whenever I reach down to her or if she's close while I'm cleaning the nest boxes (which have yet to have a real egg in them). She's been doing this for about a week, I'd say. Now, while the other 4 are out and about and free ranging in their area, she is in the coop, scratching around in there. I may see an egg soon. Crossing fingers!

The scratching around was the final sign with my girl's first egg yesterday. She did it for about an hour and a half before the beautiful egg appeared. Good luck

 

[TeaChick]

My chicken laid 30 minutes after I posted this (she was doing it for the first time I saw when I posted it) lol

Yay!!!

Today Millie (23 weeks 5 days) was very annoyed when I began to clean the coop. She kept coming in and squawking at me. As soon as I finished (only about 20 minutes) she went in and started scratching, which she did for about an hour. I remembered I had an alabaster egg so I put it into the box with her. 10 minutes later we heard a lot of loud squawking which alarmed the two other chickens and the dogs. I went to look, but there was nothing. About fifteen minutes later Millie was outside wandering nonchalantly with her sisters. Inside the nesting box was a beautiful blue egg lying next to the alabaster egg! Our first. I felt so proud of her. I was very reluctant to eat it - it took several hours before I could do it. Perhaps that's the problem with naming your chickens. I felt sort of cannibalistic. But it was delicious.

My hens sing a pre-egg song as well as the very loud and long I've just laid an egg "song."
Did you take a picture of it before you ate it?
They are delicious, aren't they?!?!?! How did you have it? Do you free range?
Do you have other pullets that are approaching POL?

 

[TeaChick]

The scratching around was the final sign with my girl's first egg yesterday. She did it for about an hour and a half before the beautiful egg appeared. Good luck

BTW,

 

[TeaChick]

We have a pullet who's soon to reach POL. She's a New Hampshire mix (IDK what with; she was a gift to DS from a friend of the family). Anyway, her comb looks noticeably larger today and her comb and waddles have gone from rather pale to pretty red overnight. I'm thinking she'll start laying by the end of the week.
This is the one I'm wondering about where she'll start laying.
I set up a second bucket on the porch. I also had put a box in the coop where she sleeps a few weeks ago, knowing she'd probably start laying this month some time. Anyway, I feel hesitant to let her out to free range with everyone else, b/c I don't know whether she's most likely to lay where the big girls lay, lay in the box I put in her coop for her (even if I let her out to free range) or lay somewhere else (the most unfortunate place would be out in the woods).

I have a similar, but slightly off topic question:
My Cochin Bantam started laying in March and she would get irritated with me when I would collect her eggs (even if I left one in her little bucket for her). Eventually, she built up a clutch and went broody. She finished brooding at the end of April, and she just started laying again last weekend. She started laying under the wading pool that's covering the mower; so I set her up a little bucket the way I had done before for her and went back to collecting her eggs. She's been laying her eggs under the shed for the past few days. What would each of you do about that? (keep collecting her eggs, let her collect up a clutch, something else???)

 

[docrobin]

Yay!!!

My hens sing a pre-egg song as well as the very loud and long I've just laid an egg "song."
Did you take a picture of it before you ate it?
They are delicious, aren't they?!?!?! How did you have it? Do you free range?
Do you have other pullets that are approaching POL?

I have two other pullets from the same flock, same age. They are looking like they are getting ready. I have heard any egg songs, but I am hoping for some. I had the egg over easy - yum. The girls free range most of the day (and they have totally trashed my plantings). I put them in their coop when I leave the house. Like your graphic and your photo, what breed is she?

 

[docrobin]

I have two other pullets from the same flock, same age. They are looking like they are getting ready. I have heard any egg songs, but I am hoping for some. I had the egg over easy - yum. The girls free range most of the day (and they have totally trashed my plantings). I put them in their coop when I leave the house. Like your graphic and your photo, what breed is she?

What is POL??