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

[TeaChick]

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

IDK what a luddite is.
I stink at the intro-web.

To post a pic, you can either right click and then click on "copy image" in the menu that comes up. Or you can click on the picture that looks like a landscape, there at the top of the "Reply" box.
Yes, the singing continues. I like it too. I can have the kids listen for the egg song when I know someone's not laying where they're supposed to, then I can find out who's laying where and who's laying which color egg.

 

[TeaChick]

Ahhh... I have golf balls in the nests, but oyster shell. At what point should I begin offering that? Time for a trip to the feed store.

You can start offering free choice extra calcium anytime; it's rare to get a chicken eating more calcium than it needs.
I crush their egg shells and put them in the compost pile; my chickens free range and have access to the compost hole. Any of them that want to can eat as much or as little of the shells as they want.

Each hen lays at their own time. Mine took 25-28 weeks to start laying. The first egg came in January during the severe Polar Vortex. All were laying by the end of Feb. Sadly my first few eggs were frozen, cracked, & covered with poo below the roost. A golf ball in each next box helped.

We took all kinds of photos of those first eggs & the hens who made them. The best experiment was a side by side comparison of our first edible egg vs. a store egg. We looked at the shell quality, raw yolk & albumen color, bulls-eye egg spot, & of course taste. Each family member got a small bite of each. We'll never eat bland eggs again.

My spoiled family now requests whose eggs they want to eat. We pencil label each egg with the date laid & name abbreviation of the hen. Our neighbors, friends, & family get a real kick of knowing whose eggs went into their meal.

Beautiful!!!
I use a crayon to mark eggs, but I need to find a pencil to use. lol

One of our RR first egg at 17wks. She was acting different yesterday...wasn't hanging out with the other girls. She kept getting into boxes, my trailer and then the rafters in the barn. Finally we put her back in the coop for awhile but she wanted out. So we put our portable nesting box inside of another box and within a few minutes she let out this loud BOCK BOCKKK!!!! And then plop...her first (tiny) egg.

Congrats!!!

Houston, we have landed an egg!! Woohoo - I know, so lame, eh? We've never raised chickens before and we only have 4, but those four are our "girls" and the buff Orpington was singing and squatting and scratching in the nest boxes yesterday and today - viola!!

No, not lame!!!
Congratulations!

 

[TeaChick]

There is a great deal of drama this morning. Millie, the hen who has already laid 2 eggs, is dominating the nesting boxes and refusing to move. I suspect she is trying to produce her 3rd egg. Josie, a pullet who has yet to lay, is raising a ruckus. She's making a lot of noise (singing? - more like clucking loudly and insistently) and pacing up and down the ramp - Millie sends her away. I made her a nest in a bucket, but she has yet to notice it. Maxine is quietly going about her business. It's driving the dogs crazy and I'm feeling like I need to check every few minutes. (Thank goodness I don't have much other work this morning).

Yes, Millie is probably laying her egg for the day.
Josie is probably trying hard to wait her turn; I had to show one of my chickens an egg, then put her in the nest. Some let me do that and some don't.

Thank God for Maxine going about her business.
The dogs will probably get used to it. I check on mine every chance I get.

I miss them if I'm so busy inside the house or we're out for the day.

So glad I'm a SAHM.

 

[TeaChick]

Well Millie has let Josie up into the house. All if quiet for the moment. Josie has the fake egg. Millie is sitting quietly. Is it common for hens to have so much trouble with the subsequent eggs? I feel like a midwife! LOL

When my Cochin Bantam started laying, the first few had streaks of blood on them, so laying eggs is something that takes some getting used to, I guess.
I know what you mean about feeling like a midwife when you're right there. Wait until you start hatching eggs!!! =)

 

[LauraSac]

My RIR's are 17 and 18 weeks (guestimate - I got them as pullets, not knowing exact age). Penny (on right in first picture) is quite a bit thinner than Janet, but her comb has recently caught up with Janet's (who is the bottom picture). Neither are laying yet. I haven't noticed them squatting. By size, do they look like they're getting close?

 

[jtn42248]

My RIR's are 17 and 18 weeks (guestimate - I got them as pullets, not knowing exact age). Penny (on right in first picture) is quite a bit thinner than Janet, but her comb has recently caught up with Janet's (who is the bottom picture). Neither are laying yet. I haven't noticed them squatting. By size, do they look like they're getting close?

Size looks o.k. but if they are only 17-18 weeks old you probably have another 2-4 weeks before any routine egg laying occurs. Also, the comb and wattles will get a good deal more red.

 

[LauraSac]

Size looks o.k. but if they are only 17-18 weeks old you probably have another 2-4 weeks before any routine egg laying occurs. Also, the comb and wattles will get a good deal more red.

Thanks, I have a feeling they're going to lay their first eggs when we're on vacation.

 

[dandeliondragon]

I put the fake egg in the nest so she knows it is a safe place for eggs.
I don't know why she's practicing like that...probably to drive me batty.

I put ceramic eggs in, and now i know what there doing! thank you, But they still dont ly much but once my chicken layed 2 in 1 day!!!

 

[jackiezim]

I noticed the comb also. Out of the 4 young hens I have, now of laying age. The one whose comb is really red and grown in started laying first.

 

[dandeliondragon]

ya it dosent show up but the comb is really really dark! Your right