Getting Egg-cited

Hi all! I just want everyone to know that I am impatiently waiting for my first ever egg. Our older chickens are 15.5 weeks old and I can't wait to see that first egg. (And for these guys to start earning their keep. Hehe!)

For those who do not know, chickens can begin laying eggs as early as 16 weeks old or as late as 36 weeks old. (Oh geez! Don't let that last one be our chickens!) They will do it whenever they are ready and mature. It can depend on the breed, but it also depends on if you're getting enough sunlight. Chickens will only lay if they're getting about 14 hours of sunlight daily. We are getting ample sunshine here, our girls are just not ready

There are a few things people use to try to judge when their chickens are going to start to lay. Some people say if the combs and wattles are getting really mature and red they will lay soon. Some people say that if you reach for a hen and she squats and spreads her wings in a mating position they will lay soon. Others think that if a hen seems to be showing a lot of interest in the nesting areas then they will be using them soon.  My favorite is that if you hear a hen singing the egg song they will be or have already layed an egg. What is the egg song? Follow the link for the egg song. It's a short 30 second video on YouTube.

Our lonely nest box full of golf balls instead of eggs. :(

My hens have been through breeding attempts from our roosters, and we've heard the egg song once. We're keeping our fingers crossed and I will keep you updated! You can follow my egg countdown and others here at backyard chickens.

Thanks for reading.


Update: You can watch this video on YouTube of my own chickens singing the egg song.