Will my Australorps squat?

[adele]

I have two black Australorps hatched in March. They are still not laying but I am sure one of them is trying to find a nest to lay in, she has been skulking off on her own today, peeking in the nestboxes in the coop and squeezing under bushes and hiding in odd places in the garden. But she won't squat. All of my other chooks have started squatting a few days before they lay. It seems very odd, the aussies are supposed to be such a friendly breed, and they do love me when I bring food but they wont let me touch them or pick them up like the others (pekins and rirs) Oh how can I get them to start laying - and in the right place?

 

[adele]

well. I went out to get the laundry in this afternoon and found a large brown speckldy egg just sitting on the ground right outside the kitchen window. Strange creature! Still won't squat for me though! Its a beautiful egg!

 

[Nonny]

I have three Black Australorps hybrids (x'd with ISA browns) and they are all laying, but only one has ever squatted for me.

 

[kittykat01]

I have 2 black Australorps. Both of them started laying in the last 2 weeks. Only one squats, and only sometimes. The rest of the time she will take food from my hand and follow me around, but does not really like being patted. Both of the Aussies went a bit 'crazy' for the week before they started laying - hiding, sqwaking without reason, checking out the nest boxes, trying to fly out of the coop... They are both back to their docile selves now! The first one to lay put her first egg on the floor of the coop, but the next day she figured out that was what the nest box was for, and she has used it ever since.

 

[BasicallyHeather]

I have four BA girls who are 17 weeks, and two of them look and act like they are getting close to laying. My flock is free range, so I definitely worry about where their eggs will turn up! I am hoping that it's not under the porch...there's no way I can reach under there

Sigh. Hopefully they will decide to lay in the nest boxes, even though they never hang around the coop during the day

 

[goldtopper]

Mine does and has since two weeks before she laid. She is the funniest bird. My daughter goes out, grabs her and brings her in the house. Normally I'm thinking dumb move, but Alexis just flattens out in my daughter's lap and softly clucks until she falls asleep.