When will she start laying?

[Skylercarr]

My hen is 22 weeks Monday and her comb has been red for 4 weeks. So will she start laying soon?sorry for the bad pictures.

 

[DeepDishChix]

She is a Silver Laced Wyandotte right?

 

[XxMingirlxX]

She looks close!

The best way to tell if a hen is close to laying is if she squats when you try to pick her up or when a rooster tries to mount her. If she does then she is within two weeks of laying.

A squat looks like this (it's purpose is to create a flat platform for the rooster during mating when she has reached sexual maturity)

(Not my photo)

You can also check by looking at the distance between the pubic bones (two finger widths or more means the pelvis is wide enough to lay an egg.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

She looks close!

The best way to tell if a hen is close to laying is if she squats when you try to pick her up or when a rooster tries to mount her. If she does then she is within two weeks of laying.

A squat looks like this (it's purpose is to create a flat platform for the rooster during mating when she has reached sexual maturity)

(Not my photo)

You can also check by looking at the distance between the pubic bones (two finger widths or more means the pelvis is wide enough to lay an egg.

Hmm, I dont know about the two weeks thing, one of my girls did it for a month before laying and the other layed the day after she did it o.o

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Hmm, I dont know about the two weeks thing, one of my girls did it for a month before laying and the other layed the day after she did it o.o

Every hen is different, but that is the rough average. Like you said, some do it the day before and others a month before. But that is the mean amount of time.

 

[Skylercarr]

Yes she is a silver laced wyandotte my rooster has been mounting her for about a week or two.

 

[aart]

She sure looks and sounds ready....shouldn't be long.
Unless you are free ranging and she's made a secret nest.


Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!

2 bony points on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[katiedubbs]

This is one of my 3 SLWs. They are 22 weeks old. The other two have been laying for about a week. Their rose and waddles turned VERY red leading up to laying. This one, though, still has a grey rose, and hasn't layed or checked out the nesting box at all. Is it possible to get a pullet that just never lays?

 

[Isaac 0]

Ive never heard of such thing i know its annoying you just want her to lay but be patience