My eco solution to rat problems

[phenna_family]

Hi Everyone,

 

We have had our chickens for nearly two weeks now, and some people I see on

 

here got their chickens after us and there chickens have layed,

 

just worried incase we are doing anything wrong????

 

Claire

[Olly]

you'll find threads on here where people waited months! If your chickens are looking healthy and happy, they will lay eventually - it feels like forever while you are waiting, I know. A good sign is when they start flattening down when you approach them, it indicates they are ready.

 

I waited over a month for mine. The first time I looked up the garden and could only see one chicken in the run I panicked, and rushed up there convinced that the other one had died in the night (I'm new to chickens and quite anxious!) To my amazement she was on the nesting-box, and laying a lovely egg. Since then she has laid every day, as has her sister who started a week or so later.

Be sure to let us know when the first one arrives, it is SO EGGCITING!

[Egluntyne]

I seem to remember waiting about 3 weeks.

[Tara.F]

our latest addition laid an egg the day after we got her,

then nothing for a week or more then another egg.

Then nothing for a few days then three eggs in three days........

 

tis a big thing to lay an egg.

takes effort and practice.

we're not battery farmers, we love our girls and pamper them and we hope they know they have to produce like clockwork

give her time...you're doing everything right, she's a happy little chook settling in

[Sheilaz]

Claire, don't worry at all. I remember exactly that feeling as I waited 10 and 11 weeks for mine to lay, and all over the forum people were announcing their first eggs!

But, well worth the wait. They may have been younger birds & nature will take it's course, giving you a wonderful surprise one day.

You'll know that the chickens have matured when their combs become big & bright red, & they may start crouching when you approach. Those may be the signs when laying is imminent.

I don't suppose you'll be waiting as long as I did.

[phenna_family]

Thanks everyone for your replies, to be honest I said to my husband before even if they don't lay eggs I will love them just the same,but I am sure they will and will be patient, we have had so much fun with them in the garden today. They love it when we get the hosepipe out and we put it on a very light sprinkle they love standing under it. Everytime we go into the garden now I think they expect it everytime.

 

Plus they have been making like a purring sound today something I haven't heard them doing before, normally they sound like little horns beeping

 

My mum and dad came to visit today to see how they were, wow we have never had so many visitors since we got them, anyway Doris (Gingernut Ranger) loved my mums toes as she had thongs on, and kept pecking at them, I kept saying perhaps she thought they were big worms

 

Does anybody elses chickens like water, i think mine think they are ducks

 

 

Claire

[Looney]

Hee hee, I love the idea of your chickens taking little showers in the garden Mine seem to quite like trudging through puddles but not tried actually sprinking them....yet!

 

Mine took a few weeks to start laying, we put bets on the date of the first egg and the closest date got to eat egg number one.....my boyfriend had this honour! Typical

[Olly]

I've taken to topping up the Glug through the bars of the run with a watering-can, if I'm in a rush it saves the hassle of opening the run door, retrieving escaped chickens etc. Mine run up and drink from the spout as I'm pouring, they seem to love it!