[looe-looe-belle]

my pullets are just over 19 wks so i am hoping that they should begin to lay in the next few weeks as they are hybrids- my question is how do they know to lay in the nest box ? Do i have to train them or is it just instinct? I think it may be a few more weeks yet though coz the combs arent big or red enough or can they lay before the combs get bigger? And another question - will the eggs be tiny at first? Many thanks!

[Beano]

Our two pullets layed their eggs in the nest boxes without any encouragement from me.
The three older hens weren't laying at the time so they did not get a clue off them. Pearl layed a month before Amber so Amber may have copies Pearl but Pearl knew what to do (clever girl). As for the size Pearls' eggs are smallish but Amber must have been storing some big one up during that month. Some of her eggs are huge, which worries me a little because she's new to laying.
It will be such a lovely surprise for you when you get that first egg.
Cheers.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi LooeLooe, our new girls are about the same age and no eggs yet from the 30 of them!  Most of them will probably start to lay in the nest boxes, but some of my older girls still lay on the floor!

You can try putting a pretend egg made from rubber or china etc, or a golf ball into the boxes, that may encourage them to lay in the nestbox.

[looe-looe-belle]

oh i see -one thing i have noticed is that they are all going back into the coop at different times during the day but when i first got them they never went back until dusk so does this mean they are getting more close to laying?

[looe-looe-belle]

may i also say that i am noticing them sitting down more too -is this another sign? They are all healthy and eating well

[Aidy]

Its kind of inbred, they like the quiet, dark, private space, the main coop wont do that for them where as the nest box is kind of like the nest 
If they frop elsewhere than as Grannie says, pop a false egg or perhaps a real egg in there to show them, just occasionally I find an egg in the main coop and wonderd if they just couldn't get there in time 
Don't worry, genetics will probably let them know.

[Sassy]

If by sitting down you mean squatting, or curtseying as I saw it beautifully described on here this week, yes it does mean they are getting ready to lay. If the nest box is well designed ie quiet and dark and enclosed they will, on the whole lay there. At the end of the day they lay when they are ready and not when the books say they will. It is hard waiting though!

[craig1981]

as long as your nest box is cosy and the darkest place in the coop they should be drawn to it to lay . I put mine in the corner of the shed furthest away from the pop hole and perches so they can be away from the main active areas of the coop