Will they ever lay? (pics)

[ella]

Quote:
They're not late, it's perfectly normal for them to start laying their first eggs at 28-30 weeks or later depending on the individual. 19-20 weeks is the very earliest you can expect eggs. Somehow it's gotten around that they start at 20 weeks on the dot or something is wrong. That is simply not true.

 

[Mahonri]

If there is light in the coop, I'd give them two weeks and they'll start.

 

[MIKE555444]

Its hard to say... are you sure about the age... as they do look a little younger than you posted. They do look very happy and healthy

 

[SF Chick]

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I know, they do look young. I got them on May 24 and they said all the chicks were 3-4 weeks old. They didn't have feathers, just down at that point though.

I'm not sure if they're squatting. Does it look a lot different from sitting?

OK, I am upping their protein treats -- gamebird feed is not an option unless I drive quite a ways. I live in the city and it's hard enough to find chicken feed. If I put their nightlight back on (we got it to lure them to bed when they were little), it's not on a timer, so would it be OK to have it on from sundown until 9 or 10 instead of pre-dawn?

Ella, what do you mean I'll pay for it later if they get extra light now?

 

[ColoradoMike]

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All fluff at 3-4 weeks? That doesn't sound right... I wonder if they meant 3-4 days?...

Mine had feathered wings by ~1 week if I recall correctly...

Regarding the squatting, you'll know it when you see it. They squat down, stamp their feet/tremble a bit and spread their wings a little for 'stability'. The squatting behaviour was the clear and consistent precursor for all three of my hens - they each started laying ~1 week after the first squat.

 

[The Zoo]

I also live in the Bay Area and my EE I bought in April just laid her first egg at 28.5 weeks. My two BPR that I bought last year took about the same length of time before they layed.
I would think that your girls weren't 3-4 weeks old when you got them - do you have baby pics? My girls had full on feathers at that age.

I think we're still getting plenty of light here in the Bay Area and that you wouldn't necessarily need a light - I'm still getting an egg every day to every other day from my 3 ladies.

When you go out to the coop and you see that first egg in the nesting box it will make the wait SO worth it!

 

[SF Chick]

Quote:
My mistake -- I just checked their baby pictures and they had feathered wings and a few on their tails, especially the BO (the BR had the least) -- but pretty much down elsewhere, so maybe they were younger than I thought.

 

[Chew593]

I think they're younger then you think... here's a picture of a barely 2 week old leghorn roo

and the same roo at 5 and a half weeks

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
OK, I tried to get a picture of one of mine doing the squat, but it's raining and yucky and looks like I can't get them to perform on command today.

Anyway, you will know it when they squat, believe me. It's very distinctive. When you move towards her, she'll suddenly freeze in a crouched down postion, wings slightly flared, legs slightly apart, head tucked down a little bit. One of mine squats even when I just LOOK at her - LOL! Cracks me up every time!

Here's someone else's picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29577744@N06/3813512811/

About the light -- I wouldn't even bother until they are a little older and begin laying. Not everyone adds artificial light, btw; it's a matter of personal opinion. Before dawn is the best time to add light, if you're going to do that. At night, when the artificial light goes off, the birds will be left in sudden and total darkness. Birds are blind at night, which means they may not be on the roost when darkness hits them. Sudden darkness could disorient and distress them. Normal bird behavior is to put themselves to bed with the gradual diminishing light of dusk, so that they are "safe" before dark. With artificial light at night, they won't do their bedtime preparations (unless you have a gradual light dimmer, which I don't even know if that exists or not). It's better if you're going to add light, to do so before dawn and have it on a timer so that it turns off around 8am or so.

 

[feathersnuggles]

At 4 weeks old, my black australorp female chick looked like this. She's in the foreground, preening her feathers. And she had very long tail feathers at that age:

The others chicks in the picture are also 4 weeks old.