What do you think?

[lopey15]

My small backyard flock of 4 chickens are just a little over 23 weeks old. Here are pics…do they look like they will be laying soon? They still are not squatting, but have started the egg song but not everyday. I am guessing or hoping they will start in the next couple of weeks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi, how well do you have them confined? In 15 years I have only had one hen squat for me, and she is extraordinarly tame by her own choice. Do you have golf balls or fake eggs in the nests to encourage them to lay there? If not, and they free range, they could be laying "out," meaning in hidden nests away from the coop. At least two of your hens have nice red combs and if you are hearing the "egg song," they could be laying somewhere.

I would suggest fake eggs in the nests if you don't already have, and keep them very close to the nests for two or three weeks till they learn to use them. Good luck!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It takes a few weeks even after their combs get red based on my experience. So the last two are probably closest

 

[lopey15]

I only free range them for about 2-3 hours in the evening after I get off of work. I keep them in their coop and run most of the day and I have golf balls in the nesting boxes. They have free choice calcium and they are already on layer feed. I agree, a couple of them have redder combs and wattles and i was guessing they would be my first layers.