# Laying is Close



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Today, all of our chickens are 16 weeks old. Depending on our chickens, they may start laying in two weeks or another month, we do not know. 
However, Wigwam has been doing his nesting call a lot and showing the hens where to nest in the shavings of the coop. They mostly ignore him.
I am ordering nesting box mats today. They may come in a few days so I can prepare the nesting boxes. I also enjoy crafts so I may sew them some nesting box curtains.
Wigwam has not been harassing the hens at all, so far that I can tell. Every so often I will hear a little flapping/squawking commotion in the coop, but Atari and Wigwam like to roughhouse a lot for some reason, so that may be them.
Wigwam has been crowing a lot more often. He crows in the morning, throughout the day when he hears noises in the driveway, and before sunset occasionally. My grandpa visited yesterday, and he used to live on a farm. I asked him "Do you like Wigwam's crowing?" and he told me that Wigwam was a little raspy. He asked me if he was still learning. Nobody usually cares about my chickens, so I was happy that he asked 
My friend and I went around the lake cove into some woods and we could hear Wigwam's crow echoing from across it. Oh well  I hope the neighbors don't mind. My mom likes it, but my dad is not quite on board with him. My brother is worried about Atari being injured by Wigwam, so he always yells at me when Wigwam crows. Every time he crows, I think it just reminds my dad and brother that we have a rooster 

Anyways, despite Wigwam being the designated protector of the hens, he is quite sedentary. My dog Cooper (who is a friendly lab who would never hurt a fly) was walking among the chickens, sniffing Raisin a lot. She didn't mind. Atari walked up to Cooper, her feathers standing on end and her head stuck up. Cooper looked at her, curious, and she pecked him hard in the nose. He started to walk away, but she JUMPED and flapped through the air at him, trying to climb on his back and attack him.
He left after that. I laughed so hard, but I was shocked 

I hope we get some eggs soon!

Here are some pictures that I took. (Isn't Wigwam beautiful?)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Watch for the combs to start turning red, that's a sign that laying is just around the corner.

So, Atari is protecting the flock?


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

That is exciting! Go Atari! My pig is the backyard protector . I don't have a roo, but I have one red sexed link that is the "watcher" over the rest. She's pretty aggressive and really tries to keep the pig out of the way.. of course it doesn't happen....


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I cut up a shower mat and place them in the nesting boxes Wigwam7. They work great with pine shavings.


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

Wigwam is so pretty!! Is he an EE


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I usually see a good roo warm the nest and call, or get in the box and keep her company while the hen practiced. I've had 3 like that.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

OMG Wigwam is so beautiful. You must be really proud. I don't have any roos, but my hens and pullets are pretty- to me. My pullets are nearly 22 wks old (on Sunday) and have not started to lay yet. Their combs and wattles are dark coral, so it will be soon. Wanna hear something funny? I am a back yard chicken person in Texas - only have 7. I did spend time in my youth on a ranch, so I know what a real farm or ranch is like. My nephew came to visit with his children. His daughter asked if she could go outside to see my farm....LOL Aren't kids precious??


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

oldhen, love the cackle shackle!!


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

Thanks Wilbur's Mom. That thing has had to be updated. If you noticed the PVC pipes hanging from the roof, (don't judge) I have a shower curtain attached to each side and the back. When it looks like rain, I just close the shower curtains and secure with clamps. That way, I can leave the windows open for some air and the coop stays dry. I close them in the winter when it is cold.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

robin416 said:


> Watch for the combs to start turning red, that's a sign that laying is just around the corner.
> 
> So, Atari is protecting the flock?


Yes, they are getting fairly red combs. Atari has the reddest and biggest of the hens. Raisin's is a little bit smaller and paler, and Petal virtually has no comb at all, but it is red. She has a flat little bump on her head.
Raisin is the smallest, Petal and Atari are roughly the same size, and obviously Wigs is the biggest.

Atari does seem to be the most adventurous of our flock. She likes my hair and clothes a little too much. Sometimes I have to push her away while I am cleaning the coop!


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

oldhen2345 said:


> OMG Wigwam is so beautiful. You must be really proud. I don't have any roos, but my hens and pullets are pretty- to me. My pullets are nearly 22 wks old (on Sunday) and have not started to lay yet. Their combs and wattles are dark coral, so it will be soon. Wanna hear something funny? I am a back yard chicken person in Texas - only have 7. I did spend time in my youth on a ranch, so I know what a real farm or ranch is like. My nephew came to visit with his children. His daughter asked if she could go outside to see my farm....LOL Aren't kids precious??


Thank you! He is a gorgeous roo and he flaunts it a lot. I guess laying age depends on the chickens, huh? My dad is impatient for eggs, and I am telling him 2 weeks because the chickens are 16 weeks currently.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> I usually see a good roo warm the nest and call, or get in the box and keep her company while the hen practiced. I've had 3 like that.


Yes, Wigs is rather sweet to them. He pecks at the back of their necks occasionally to keep them in order, but other then that he is cute.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Steinwand said:


> Wigwam is so pretty!! Is he an EE


Thank you! And yes, he is.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Wilbur's Mom said:


> That is exciting! Go Atari! My pig is the backyard protector . I don't have a roo, but I have one red sexed link that is the "watcher" over the rest. She's pretty aggressive and really tries to keep the pig out of the way.. of course it doesn't happen....


XD That's too cute.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Seems you have some nice friendly chickens there!


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

3-5 more weeks , if you're adding supplemental light.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I knew the comb got red right before a hen starts to lay but I didn't know the comb gets pale and shriveled when they stop laying until recently.I have several hens with pale,shriveled combs and I was driving myself crazy thinking they had bugs but I couldn't see them.I wonder how an old hen tastes....


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

They are tough if you don't cook them right.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Pressure cook them....


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