Posted by Kelly Liston on June 17, 2009 at 12:09pm
I have a 21 week Welsummer and I have been waiting patiently for her to lay her first egg. Where is it??? I have read that hens start laying anywhere from 16 to 24 weeks. I was wondering if anyone else has a Welsummer around the same age as mine. I also have an Ameraucana, a Rhode Island Red, and a Barred Rock. Those ladies are 17 weeks, a month younger than the Welsummer. I don't expect them to start laying for another month.Also, are there any cues I can look out for that might lead me to believe she is getting ready to lay an egg?Thanks for any info!
You need to be a member of AZ Herb Forum to add comments!
The "chicken squat" that Alex is describing usually precedes laying by about 2 weeks. So that, the bright red combs and wattles, and the hens taking interest in the nesting boxes are all signs that eggs are coming soon. I have had birds wait until as late as 27 weeks to begin laying. A Welsummer is generally a moderately early maturing breed so I think you'll see something in the next 3 weeks.
Hen is old enough for rooster and thinks you might be one...sometimes making them freeze for you and petting them on the back makes them listen to you more...easier to herd if they think You Da Man.
Once my husband built the nest boxes, I mean THAT DAY, my one Ameraucauna jumped in it and seemed restless and the next day laid her very first egg. The signs that I saw were restlessness and it looked like her rear end was "breathing", in and out, in and out....sounds weird I know. Good luck! I know how frustrated I felt waiting for them to start, now I'm getting 3 to 4 eggs a day from my 4 ladies.
Replies