Who’s laying first?

[jBabychickn]

Hi there!

Flock: 6 Salmon Faverolles + 3 Jubilee Orpingtons = 6-7mos old
1 Salmon Faverolle male = 7mos old
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We got our first egg a few days ago. And, I was wondering/curious… Should I suspect the 2-3 girls that me boy is most interested in as far mating goes? Can he sense the hormones, I mean?

 

[neo71665]

If they are ready they will allow the rooster to mate. They will lay when they are ready with or without a rooster.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should I suspect the 2-3 girls that me boy is most interested in as far mating goes? Can he sense the hormones, I mean?

There are different signs that possibly, maybe, a pullet is laying or about to lay. These do not mean that they are laying or about too but some clues they could possibly be. One of those clues is that the wattles and comb may turn bright red. Bright red does not mean they are laying or about to but it's a good clue. I've seen pale combed chickens lay and bright combed chickens not.

A bright red comb or wattles tells a good rooster that she might be about to lay so he should fertilize her eggs. You don't have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel so I would not consider him a good rooster. Some pullets are more likely to squat for a boy when they start to lay but many are not. I once saw a 13 week old pullet squat for a cockerel, she did not lay for almost another two months. I've seen laying hens run from a rooster, let alone an immature cockerel. This can be a sign that an egg might be on the way but I consider this the weakest poorest sigh there is, mainly because of what I've seen.

Sometimes a pullet will check out the nests a week or so before she starts to lay so she knows where a good place is. If you see a pullet scratching around in a nest I consider that a decent sign. If you find the bedding or fake egg scratched out of the nest that's probably a sign you need to raise the lip on the nest to make it harder to scratch things out.

I suggest you look at their vents. The easiest way to do that is to take them off the roost after dark and use a flashlight or headlamp. If the vent is big, soft, and moist they are laying or will be real soon. If the vent s tight and dry they are not ready. Once you see it this is petty easy to tell the difference.

 

[jBabychickn]

There are different signs that possibly, maybe, a pullet is laying or about to lay. These do not mean that they are laying or about too but some clues they could possibly be. One of those clues is that the wattles and comb may turn bright red. Bright red does not mean they are laying or about to but it's a good clue. I've seen pale combed chickens lay and bright combed chickens not.

A bright red comb or wattles tells a good rooster that she might be about to lay so he should fertilize her eggs. You don't have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel so I would not consider him a good rooster. Some pullets are more likely to squat for a boy when they start to lay but many are not. I once saw a 13 week old pullet squat for a cockerel, she did not lay for almost another two months. I've seen laying hens run from a rooster, let alone an immature cockerel. This can be a sign that an egg might be on the way but I consider this the weakest poorest sigh there is, mainly because of what I've seen.

Sometimes a pullet will check out the nests a week or so before she starts to lay so she knows where a good place is. If you see a pullet scratching around in a nest I consider that a decent sign. If you find the bedding or fake egg scratched out of the nest that's probably a sign you need to raise the lip on the nest to make it harder to scratch things out.

I suggest you look at their vents. The easiest way to do that is to take them off the roost after dark and use a flashlight or headlamp. If the vent is big, soft, and moist they are laying or will be real soon. If the vent s tight and dry they are not ready. Once you see it this is petty easy to tell the difference.

Perfect! Thanks so much!