[andy46]

As i have only been chicken keeping for a few weeks i would like to know how tell when chooks are ready to lay for the first time. my girls are 19 weeks old and i have read that they start around 20 to 24 weeks, they are warrens??

[Geo]

Hi Andy
You will notice the birds  comb and wattles changing colour. They will become a rich red colour.
The chook may also squat when you approach her, this also is a clue to her being ready to lay,
Keep us posted when she lays

[andy46]

Thanks for the help geo,i have noticed thier wattles and combs changing colour and they have started to squat down when i stroke them, cant wait for the first eggs to come hopefully it wont be to long 

[Sassy]

It does sound as though they are ready to lay very soon. However, the 20-24 weeks laying guideline is just that. They will lay when they are ready and it will have all been worth while.

[andy46]

The last couple of days the girls have been sleeping in the nest boxes instead of the perches as they did when they came home. i have put two rubber eggs in to see what happens do you think thats wise? it is suppose to help them lay in the  boxes rather than any where else.

[Mrs Bee]

We have been keeping chickens for about four years now. And I was worried all the time at first.

The one thing I have learned in the four years is to leave them to it. They will do their own thing in their own way what ever you do

Be patient, watch and wait and enoy the freshest and best tasting eggs ever when they do start to lay.

[Sassy]

We have been keeping chickens for about four years now. And I was worried all the time at first.

The one thing I have learned in the four years is to leave them to it. They will do their own thing in their own way what ever you do

Be patient, watch and wait and enoy the freshest and best tasting eggs ever when they do start to lay.

So True

[Chicken star]

I had a hybrid that laid at 19 weeks, they were only small eggs but an egg nevertheless.
Mine started spending more time inside the coop and closer to when they first laid they became very noisy.
I'm sure it wont be long now

[andy46]

YYYEEEESSSSS thelma has laid her first egg this morning. its only small but can you eat it seeing as its her first???

[joyfull]

yes you can eat it 

[splash101]

Yeah, well done. (bet it felt like she had laid a golden egg)

[andy46]

Feel like i have won the lottery!!

[Prod]

I bought 5 all together at the same age One laid in the box on the way home and then four of them laid immediately.  The Columbian Blacktail laid 3 or 4 huge eggs (see avatar)  but has setlled down to just normal large eggs. The Buff Sussex took another 6 weeks before she laid her first egg which was tiny, again she is now laying normally.  They are all individual I guess. 

[Geo]

No more shop eggs now Andy 

[andy46]

No way Geo had them on a buttie, what a differance in taste will not be having shop eggs again