Will a hen tell me when she's ready to lay?

[Well Seasoned]

The girls will be 16 weeks tomorrow. I've read that white rocks tend to start laying on the earlier side.

Personally, it doesn't matter how soon, but I want to be ready. When I built the coop, I closed off the 5 nesting boxes because they were sleeping in them and I wanted to train them to use the roosting bars, which worked immediately.

Lately, 2 have been hanging on the floor of the coop, nestling up in the corner at night, usually with the roo.

Am I at the point where i should remove the plywood that blocks off the nesting boxes?

Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They don't look quite ready yet, but you could open the nestboxes up. As long as your roosts are higher than the boxes they should choose to roost.

 

[Well Seasoned]

They don't look quite ready yet, but you could open the nestboxes up. As long as your roosts are higher than the boxes they should choose to roost.

Thanks! I know their combs/waddles will get redder, and those two they have not, but some others certainly are. I will put that on the schedule this week, yes the roosts are much higher.


The 2 roosting bars.....

The nesting area (this is before I finished enclosing the actual boxes. There are 5 there now)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They will start to investigate nestboxes when they begin to sexually mature. I put ceramic eggs in them to show them it's safe and to give them a chance to peck at them so they learn they aren't food before the regular eggs start to come.

 

[Well Seasoned]

They will start to investigate nestboxes when they begin to sexually mature. I put ceramic eggs in them to show them it's safe and to give them a chance to peck at them so they learn they aren't food before the regular eggs start to come.

I did purchase 2 of these ceramic eggs. Do you think now is a good time to put them in?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It shouldn't hurt anything to add them now.

 

[snow5164]

Yes put them in ,do you have curtains? We did an experiment , 2 boxes with curtains 3 without ... the 3 without were never used... and it looks so cute

 

[achiekitty]

Another sign they’re getting ready to lay, other than the comb getting redder, was, my chickens started squatting when I approached them. And very soon after that, one started laying, followed by the second one, exactly a week later.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I opened up my nesting boxes when they were 15 weeks old. They are now 18 weeks and have started scratching around in the nesting boxes. I am awaiting the first eggs as well!

 

[aart]

Yes, good to open nests now and bait with fake eggs.
Here's some more tips about....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/