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

[subhanalah]

What is POL??

point of lay

 

[Chickidy-Love]

We made next boxes out of wood and put wood shaving in it.
Then,we bought a fake egg and the chicken naturally know that they lay in there.
I myself would do two nest boxes for each ten chickens.
If mine don't have a nest box,they just lay it on the dirt...

 

[TeaChick]

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?

Yeah, they'll probably all start laying about the same time.
The squawking was (at least an early or practice) egg song. It's like when a cockerel first begins to crow, and it doesn't sound that good, but eventually (most of them) get the hang of it and some of them even sound pretty nice.
Oh, over easy is yummy! =d
Mine free range too. We had to put our container garden into five-gallon buckets so they couldn't eat as much of them.
My avatar is of a hatch I did of my own eggs. There's three chicks there, they're all Red Sex-Link mixes and I have two roosters that were mating with the hens who laid the eggs. (IDK which you're referring to as "graphic" and "photo", but if you can copy and paste them or tell me what they look like, I'll tell you anything you want to know. =)

 

[docrobin]

Yeah, they'll probably all start laying about the same time.
The squawking was (at least an early or practice) egg song. It's like when a cockerel first begins to crow, and it doesn't sound that good, but eventually (most of them) get the hang of it and some of them even sound pretty nice.
Oh, over easy is yummy! =d
Mine free range too. We had to put our container garden into five-gallon buckets so they couldn't eat as much of them.
My avatar is of a hatch I did of my own eggs. There's three chicks there, they're all Red Sex-Link mixes and I have two roosters that were mating with the hens who laid the eggs. (IDK which you're referring to as "graphic" and "photo", but if you can copy and paste them or tell me what they look like, I'll tell you anything you want to know. =)

You are communicating with a total luddite. It took me two days to figure out how to answer to a specific post. I don't know how to post photos or copy and paste something on the website. It's something I could figure out I suppose. Anyway - so the singing continues even when egg laying becomes routine? What fun! I look forward to it. There is a lot of noise coming from outside - better go check

 

[Camcam]

Ni How

 

[docrobin]

You are communicating with a total luddite. It took me two days to figure out how to answer to a specific post. I don't know how to post photos or copy and paste something on the website. It's something I could figure out I suppose. Anyway - so the singing continues even when egg laying becomes routine? What fun! I look forward to it. There is a lot of noise coming from outside - better go check

So I went outside and Millie, the girl who laid the egg yesterday, was dominating the nesting boxes and wouldn't let anybody else up into the house. When I looked inside she scolded me and kept running up and down the ramp and squawking at me. So I put the alabaster egg back into the box and she immediately calmed down and started scratching. After a short while there was another egg! I wonder if she is always going to be a drama queen about this? Will she let the other girls use the facilities?

 

[subhanalah]

So I went outside and Millie, the girl who laid the egg yesterday, was dominating the nesting boxes and wouldn't let anybody else up into the house.  When I looked inside she scolded me and kept running up and down the ramp and squawking at me.  So I put the alabaster egg back into the box and she immediately calmed down and started scratching.  After a short while there was another egg!  I wonder if she is always going to be a drama queen about this?  Will she let the other girls use the facilities?  

hahaha
I was maybe a little disappointed that I didn't get another egg from my RSL! Lol.

 

[SixChickFlock]

First, thanks for all the great tips in this thread. I've spent the last little while tonight reading every word. I'm joining in 'cause I'm really ready for first eggs!

I have six 19 week old pullets. The black austrolorp has a pretty well developed crown and wattles. She's a real beauty and looks like I think a hen should! The rest are coming along at different rates... SLW, GLW, Barred Rock, Buff Orp and EE kind of in that order. Each day one or more will look decidedly more mature. They're all gonna be gorgeous .

We've been free ranging for 12 weeks, and now they have a corner they run to in the morning, probably for the ripe mulberries covering the ground. In the hen house (they took to roosting there as soon as the space was available), I have three nest boxes with golf balls in place. There has been absolutely no sign of any interest in the nests for the three or so weeks they've been open for business. The gals return to the run when the weather gets bad, every so often for food and water and sometimes just to relax in the shade of the hen house above, but they really only go in the hen house at night.

My novice question... Is it possible or even likely they will know what the nest boxes are for and lay eggs there rather than in some undisclosed location in my backyard???

I'll be looking for all the signs I've read about here, check the vents, listen for the songs... and just watch in amazement at whatever they choose to do!

Tim

 

[subhanalah]

Tim, I put a fake egg in the nest when I began offering crushed oyster shell.

 

[Mah1Mah1]

She is an Americauna.

ok, i really want some now lol!!!