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

[SixChickFlock]

Minty starts singing as she leaves the nest, then exits the coop and gets a few bites to eat as she continues to sing.

Astrid only sings if someone else begins.

Today Minty and Florence beat Astrid to the nesting area (3 boxes for 6 hens) and proclaimed her complete annoyance with a different but still loud song for about 20 minutes. She will not begin to nest unless she is the only one in there.

Florence is quick. She sings a quiet version of the song as she is laying.

Nelly announces her intention to nest and just gets it done.

I have two more, yet to lay. They both took interest in the nesting boxes today. I've got my fingers crossed!

 

[RenaG]

Just saw all of the girls gathered around the nesting box. Went to check on them and our BO Blondie just layed her first egg. Small but otherwise perfect. She had been acting funny the last few days and started singing this morning really loud.

 

[Faraday40]

RenaG-
Congrats! & I Love the Photoshop idea!

The scene you described is very typical. The other pullets want to know what's going on. When my rooster's fav was making some of her 1st eggs, he would pace back & forth in front of her nesting box, while the rest of the girls looked on. As more of the girls started laying, our crazy roo also tried to lay some eggs. He'd jump in a nest box, make some noises, then pop out & sing the egg song as he strutted. Did he really think he made the golf ball? Was he trying to show the girls how it's done? Was he trying to fit in with the flock by mimicking? (After all, everybody else was doing it.) Perhaps he had some gender identity issues because he was the only male around. He was our sweetheart & my daughter's baby. Even as a full grown rooster, he'd always let me daughter do anything to him.

 

[RenaG]

Thanks, Faraday40.

She had been acting crazy the last few day with being aggressive and pecking. She even jumped up several time to peck at our hands. Not like her at all. Then today she was really sweet and loving but loud and singing. I was thinking we would see an egg tomorrow or something but not today. Very exciting!!

Just noticed that you are in Illinois. I was born and raised in Wood River/East Alton Illinois.

 

[Sindee04]

Never heard the egg song, but one ofmy Leghorns presented me with the very first egg this afternoon. I'm so happy! I have 10 chickens in all.

 

[Sindee04]

Never heard the egg song, but one ofmy Leghorns presented me with the very first egg this afternoon. I'm so happy!

 

[moms3cuties]

Never heard the egg song, but one ofmy Leghorns presented me with the very first egg this afternoon. I'm so happy!

EGGciting!

Did you measure your egg!?? Don't forget to leave calcium out in a separate bowl!

*Note- I crush up the egg shells I use in my kitchen for the hens in a seperate bowl to get extra calcium as they need it. Ive also be told about adding calcium to their water.

 

[Faraday40]

I leave out oyster shell in a separate bowl, but I also crush up the dried eggshells. I find mine prefer the eggshells - especially in nice weather.

Commercial layer feed should have all the calcium they need, but mine free range. If they get most of their diet via the yard, they use more supplemental calcium. In the winter, they barely use any, because they mostly eat their layer feed & rarely venture out into the snow. Hard to find greens under a few feet of snow. Chicago Winters are brutal.

 

[Faraday40]

Never heard the egg song, but one ofmy Leghorns presented me with the very first egg this afternoon. I'm so happy! I have 10 chickens in all.

Congrats on the 1st egg! I've heard Leghorns are excellent producers, so get those egg cartons ready!

 

[RenaG]

I did measure our egg today and it was about 2 inches in length.