When is it going to happen?

[C17]

My buff or is 5 months and 2 weeks old.
She hasn't laid an egg yet.
Is it to early?
She is big as a house, looks like any day now..............
Can any one help?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Are her comb and wattles red? Has she squatted for you? Does she have a safe, quiet place to go lay her eggs? Are there fake eggs or golf balls in there to show her where? Do you have other hens who are laying who might encourage her?

 

[MarinMama]

i read in the BO thread that buffs can take longer but most said between 23-28 weeks so you are VERY close time-wise...any indicators like the above poster mentioned? my BO's are 18.5 weeks and do not look or act close to laying.

 

[C17]

Wattle and comb are red.
As far as a safe and Quiet place to lay, I would say yes, she did loose her room mate 2 days ago.
I have just put in nesting boxes in with straw however, no golfballs yet, that maybe next.
Had 6 original hens, lost 4 to the dogs and one Saturday. Not sure what caused her death, didn't see any trauma. May of been an internal issues or the neighbor kids.
Do to logistic issues, the 4 week old (25) pullets had to be placed into the house/run that the big girls had ( 5x10 run with a 5x8 house).
She has adapted well, and the pullets know they place.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[C17]

What does Squatting like look for a hen?
Watch there will be an egg when I get home tonight

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Well it sounds like you are getting very close. My BO was the last to start laying at 6 months and 2 weeks. So hang in there. Not sure if loosing her friends is going to affect her. But I think you are certainly getting close.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
You'll know a squat when you see one. You'll be moving around and go to pet a chicken or reach over one or just get too close to one and they will squat down, spread their wings a bit, and just hold that position for several seconds or until you give them a good scratch between the wings.

I'll bet there are lots of videos on You Tube if you search there.

 

[ParadiseChickens]

I have 8 chickens born the first week in March and finally 1 layed her first egg yesterday and then another today. Of the 8, 3 of them have gotten very large and red combs and wattles for about the last week so maybe they will begin to lay any day now too. The other 5 still have less developed and less red combs and wattles. I have seen none of them "squat". So they are around 26 weeks this week. Late bloomers I would say. Course here in Texas we have had 67 days of triple digit temps so far and we are having a wonderful cool week of temp highs in the 80's and lows in the lower 50's. The hen layed her egg the first cool day.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
Yes, that heat has to affect them something awful. They already run warm and then wearing those suits of down feathers all day long. Hopefully, over the next few weeks things will begin to cool and they will get into their groove.