Your First Egg - Signs your hen will lay!

So, today was the day my Rhode Island Red laid her first egg:) I am really excited that we will be finally getting fresh organic eggs right from our backyard! For me and my family our very first egg is going to go to the Lord. As lots of you know I teach my kids to tithe from our garden and this egg is no different. It is our first fruits (so to speak) and that is for The Lord.

Not everyone has to do it this way or even agree with me but this is what I do:) Lets get started...

I wanted to post about things that I noticed leading up to my Red laying so that it will give some of you "newcomers to chickens" a little insight on what to look for just before your chickens are about to lay there very first egg. I will also be touching on signs others have noticed so that you guys will know what to look for!

For the past 4 weeks or so I have been noticing little changes that ended up being big ones over all. One of those things would be the comb on your chicken turning bright red!


I didn't think too much about this until I found an egg. The other thing I noticed was that she seemed to be pooping on her feathers a little. It seemed a little sloppy to me but I just figured she made a mistake. I ended up finding out later that it was because her vent was stretching out and leaking moisture because she was getting ready to lay her 1st egg. I also noticed her walking around the yard and in certain areas she would squat down in front of the other hen I have. I don't know why I didn't think of it before but she was squatting down so that my other hen can mount her. I remember thinking she was just squatting down close to the dirt so she can take a dust bath but she never did. She also started squatting over concrete! She can't take a dust bath over concrete;) Duh!!

Lets take a look at a short list and see if these match up with things that may be happening with your new little laying chicken.

THINGS I NOTICED

• Comb turned really red.
• She was getting louder.
• More territorial.
• Not as clean around the vent. (Where eggs & poop come out)

OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR

• Interest in nesting.
• Squatting so a rooster can mount her.
• Vent is pink and moist.
• Hip bone spread.

When your hen hits 5 to 6 months old, be sure to watch her comb. That starts turning red first. They also start squatting down like they are trying to nestle an egg.