My beautiful Buff Orpington hens will be five months old at the end of this month. Every day, I check for eggs even though I know it's still too soon! This morning, Jerry mentioned that at least one of the hens has a larger and redder comb than the others. I have always heard that a red comb is a sign that a hen is laying! Check out the difference between these two! :)
When I took the chickens their half a pumpkin awhile ago, I took my camera to snap some pictures.
This girl's comb is quite a bit bigger and redder than the others!
This is what most of them still look like.
Just to prove to myself that I hadn't accidentally taken a picture of the rooster, I went back down and got one of him! ;-)
So, I'm hoping that I will find my first egg sometime soon!! I hope, I hope!!
Linking up to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop hosted by Heidi at My Simple Country Living and Deb at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House.
32 comments:
I had never heard that before. I guess it would be a good sign of maturity though. Hope you get some eggs soon!
Yep! She's looking like a laying hen! It is true that their comb gets redder and larger before they start laying. Watch for the first few eggs in strange places...sometimes it takes a while before they start laying in the nesting boxes!
well, certainly hoping its not another rooster! :)
I also have some buffs that just turned five months the end of January. I noticed the other day that some of the combs were pretty red and thought soon I should have eggs. Sure enough yesterday I got some new eggs! Should be happening real soon for you. Don't know about you but it sure excites me when they start laying. LOL.
I've been raising chickens a long time and I've never heard that. Live and learn! :)
Our barnyard mutt chicks turned 5 months last week and we just started getting eggs this week! Your pullets are probably going to be laying eggs any time now!
Hi Candy. How do you give them the pumpkin? Can I just slice it in half. Or is they any thing else I have to do?
Teresa,
Me too, I'm tired of buying them!
Lisa Lynn,
I'm looking all over their yard and in all the nooks and crannies in the hen house too! :)
TWG,
I'm pretty sure she's not a rooster! LOL!!
Alla,
I do get excited when the young ones first start laying! Aren't we silly?!? :)
Nancy,
No kidding, I learn so much almost every day!
Carolyn Renee,
Congrats on your girls starting to lay! So nice to get "free" (yeah, right) food!
Michelle,
Just cut it open and give it to them, they eat everything right down to the rind and then they eat that!!
Hi Candy Just wanted to let you know Goggle is going away at the end of this month. To keep our follower and not lose our favorite blogs .We will have to join the Linky Party. Heidi has one on her site. http://mysimplecountryliving.blogspot.com
I don't want to lose any of my blogs,I enjoy visiting you guys to much. I hope you will join. Oh and follow me. Almost forgot that part.
So happy for you that your girls are just about to start laying! I remember our excitement with the first egg we got. It was so funny though.... it wasnt much bigger than a golf ball.
My daughter sells her eggs as part of her Agriscience project (which is why we have 30 chickens) and sadly there have been weeks that I have still had to run to the market because she sold all her eggs and didnt leave any for the house! How "great" is that? 30 chickens in my back yard and I have to go BUY EGGS! lol
Nice looking hens. Some of mine have a real big comb too, and we don't have roosters. And I do have to say that rooster is nice looking too. Glad he's at your house rather then mine though!!
It does look promising. Good luck! :-)
Well, here I was, going to tell you that red combs mean they are NOT good layers and then learned something myself I guess. Sounds like red combs mean they will start soon and then later, red combs mean they aren't good layers. I have buffs too. Your rooster is beautiful.
Michelle,
I actually have your post bookmarked until I can figure out what to do! :)
Julie,
It must be very frustrating to be feeding that many chickens and having to BUY eggs! LOL!!
SweetLand Farm,
He isn't really very loud, hope he stays that way! ;-)
LindaG,
Thanks! :)
Michaele,
Thanks for the info!
Google is going away, bummer, I hate having to change to something else... ah well, will just have to bookmark sites, like the old days...
Nancy,
Yeah, I know. I'm trying to figure out the Linky thing.
You'll love not having to buy eggs anymore.
Hi Candy!
I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I have selected you as a recipient of the 'Versatile Blogger Award'...stop by my blog to accept the award!
Lisa
http://littlehomesteadonthehill.blogspot.com/
Pullet eggs are so fun. Be patient they will come.
Kristina,
You are right about that!
Robyn,
I'm trying, I'm trying! LOL!!
Lisa,
Why thank you so very much!! I will stop by on Sunday! :)
Lovely pictures, Candy. I am enjoying your new camera (probably not as much as you are!) Lovely ladies, indeed. :)
They look nice and healthy. I had a batch of hens where one of the young hens started out with a bigger comb than the rest, but when they were fully grown they all evened out.
Julie,
I'm really having a blast with the new camera! :)
Kateri,
I'm loving these Buff Orpingtons, very nice chickens!
Is this true for only Buffs? I have had many breeds of chickens and never noticed this event with them - Interesting.
They are beautiful... my very 1st chicks were buff orpingtons almost 3 years ago, I still have some of them in my flock, nice chickens. A few more weeks & you should get your 1st eggs... so exciting.
Grace,
I believe it is true for all breeds, it's a hormonal thing.
Jennifer,
I can hardly wait for the first eggs! :)
They are real beauties Candy. I hope they start laying real soon for you. I just know we'll reap the benefit of new Candy Recipes... Have a GREAT week.
Heidi,
Thanks!
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