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

[birdlady79]

Ok so a few of my gals have been squatting for a few weeks... red combs and loud.... Today 1 of them kicked the "fake egg" out and sat in nest bc there's was a hole scratched out.... .....PLEASE tell me a EGG is on the way??? They are 20 weeks now,.. I keep looking for eggs in hiding places since they free range but not finding any....if they were eating them, would there be evidence??

 

[ilovemybabies2]

good questions..... My gal layed an egg on 20 weeks to the day. Each chicken is different, but all my girls are around 20 weeks and most are squatting, maybe 4 that aren't. My first hen squatted and a week later, her first egg!
We used to look all around the yard too looking for eggs (you sound a lot like me), because we were expecting it'd be any day. We have the golf balls in the nest box and that's where she laid. Egg eating.... we came home from church on sunday and went outside (very hot) and saw some yolk on the grass, and found the whites a few inches away. At the floor of the coop we found another shell less egg (monday). Sunday night a hen laid a shell less egg right behind us!
I heard that when chickens lay soft or shell less eggs, then it's anyone's game. If they are eating the eggs, it's normal. It's when they eat the hard shelled that there's a time to worry. Evidence of egg eating, look around, and look at their beaks for yolk.

 

[birdlady79]

good questions..... My gal layed an egg on 20 weeks to the day. Each chicken is different, but all my girls are around 20 weeks and most are squatting, maybe 4 that aren't. My first hen squatted and a week later, her first egg!
We used to look all around the yard too looking for eggs (you sound a lot like me), because we were expecting it'd be any day. We have the golf balls in the nest box and that's where she laid. Egg eating.... we came home from church on sunday and went outside (very hot) and saw some yolk on the grass, and found the whites a few inches away. At the floor of the coop we found another shell less egg (monday). Sunday night a hen laid a shell less egg right behind us!
I heard that when chickens lay soft or shell less eggs, then it's anyone's game. If they are eating the eggs, it's normal. It's when they eat the hard shelled that there's a time to worry. Evidence of egg eating, look around, and look at their beaks for yolk.

Thank you!!! 3 of 7 are squatting... I haven't seen any evidence of a yolk or pieces of egg shells, so they must not have started yet... I did replace all of the plastic eggs with golf balls except the one they kicked out this morning.... I'm just impatiently waiting now. Lol. Do you use straw or pine shavings? Does any one add grass clippings to nest areas?

 

[jtn42248]

I use straw and change it out weekly. I have 10 next boxes for 23 hens. Of course they only use 3 of the nests but who's counting. I tried pine shavings but by the time they get in the nest and turn around a few times to get comfortable most of the shavings have been pushed out onto the floor. With straw, a few clock-wise twist and the nest is ready for them. I also use wooden fake eggs as incentive.

 

[ilovemybabies2]

I use straw as well, pine shavings for the floor of the coop, and straw for the nest boxes.
How exciting!!!! It's so exciting when they are getting ready to lay.!

 

[LauraSac]

I have pine shavings in my nesting box, but I may get a fresh bale of straw for my garden and the nesting box. I put herbs in the box, too. I don't know if the chickens like it, but it's pretty and freshens it up. It also helps me determine if she's been in there, because they're disturbed.

So far, Janet has laid her second egg, and I thought she was on an every other day schedule, but she missed that schedule yesterday. Penny should be laying her first soon. I know people say they can tell the difference between the eggs laid by their different chickens, but as a newbie, and with two girls just starting to lay at the same time, it will probably take me a while. I just want more eggs! I was worried about Janet for the first one, but now I'm feeling greedy.

 

[Faraday40]

Ok so a few of my gals have been squatting for a few weeks... red combs and loud.... Today 1 of them kicked the "fake egg" out and sat in nest bc there's was a hole scratched out.... .....PLEASE tell me a EGG is on the way??? They are 20 weeks now,.. I keep looking for eggs in hiding places since they free range but not finding any....if they were eating them, would there be evidence??

Just like waiting for them to hatch, there's no way to rush a chicken out of an egg or an egg out of a chicken. Simply prepare & wait.

If you really think they could be hiding eggs on you, try leaving them in the coop/run longer one day. Most of mine lay before 11am.

 

[birdlady79]

Thank y'all!! Ok, so where do you purchase straw ? And is it just regular straw? I will use herbs in mine too.....

I'm just getting excited and impatient all at the same time.... I will try leaving them in run this weekend and see if they produce anything.... I haven't seen any evidence of broken/eaten eggs.....

 

[LauraSac]

Thank y'all!! Ok, so where do you purchase straw ? And is it just regular straw? I will use herbs in mine too.....

I'm just getting excited and impatient all at the same time.... I will try leaving them in run this weekend and see if they produce anything.... I haven't seen any evidence of broken/eaten eggs.....

I get my straw at a feed store that's near me. I live in an urban area, so they never have a lot, but I can put orders in. I don't know if chickens care whether it's straw or hay, but since I use it mostly for my garden, I always get straw. One bale goes a long way, so if you don't garden, don't order more than one. You might even see if you can get a half bale.

 

[ilovemybabies2]

Straw is much cheaper than hay as well. I went inside the coop where my boxes are to collect eggs (none), they are all almost ready. And I looked to the right of me and saw my Gold sex link hen sitting on the straw bale, 5 minutes later I collected the egg. Her comb and waddles are not that big at all, not small, but compared to the others it's average. My point is, hens like straw.