Egg Song but No Eggs Yet

[VTBobCat]

I have my first ever flock of hens right now (Australorps, Barred Rocks, and Speckled Sussex). They are about 17 weeks old. As I was getting ready for work this morning, I heard the egg song for the first time! I stopped what I was doing and listened to be sure that is what I heard, then I heard it again! I excitedly ran out to the run and searched, but found no egg. One of my barred rocks has been squatting for about 1-2 weeks now and I assume it was her who was making all the noise, though there are others who have large, bright red combs and wattles right now so who knows.
From your experience, how soon after the egg song have your ladies started laying? Like I said, this is my first ever flock and I'm just excitedly (and impatiently) waiting to see that first egg!

 

[chickenmama109]

The egg song is a sign that they will be laying really soon sometimes my flock of laying hens will do the egg song thinking they layed but they haven't yet lol my white leghornd was my first too start laying and she did the egg song a couple of times before she started too lay keep a really good look out for eggs they could come any day know

 

[CrazyChickenDude]

You know, it could be them doing a warning call. My chickens will do it before storms, when there's a predator nearby, or if they have been startled.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

A lot of my gals practice the egg song about 4 weeks before onset or as they are getting close sometimes when startled the egg song is what happens. Funny enough even my boys join in the egg song!

My gals will even pace in and out of the boxes, checking them out. Sometimes a whole day of egg singing before they lay. One even sang all day and then an egg popped out and smashed on my patio while she was perched on my shoulder. In addition to the egg song there is usually a whole lot of squawk awk awk type sounds before they go in to actually lay.

Waiting is so hard... you're almost there!

 

[Ridgerunner]

When mine are nervous they often make a sound like the egg song. That could have been what you heard. Not every hen that lays an egg sings the egg song. Some do, some don't.

Not every pullet that squats is ready to lay, though that is a good sign. A better sign is that combs and wattles are tuning red. Often a pullet will start checking out potential nesting locations a week or so before she starts. You might find them scratching in the nests or if your nest lip is too low, you may find the nest bedding or fake eggs on the coop floor. That can be another good sign plus it tells you that you might need to work on your nests if that stuff is on the coop floor. If you inspect their vents, a small tight dry vent means they are not that close. But a larger damp vent is a truly great sign.

I understand your impatience, trust me I do. There is something about pullets that should have been laying in September that are still not laying the first of December to teach you that. But until you see that first egg, these things are just signs that they might be getting close. Hang in there, they will make it.

 

[chickenmama109]

A lot of my gals practice the egg song about 4 weeks before onset or as they are getting close sometimes when startled the egg song is what happens. Funny enough even my boys join in the egg song!

My gals will even pace in and out of the boxes, checking them out. Sometimes a whole day of egg singing before they lay. One even sang all day and then an egg popped out and smashed on my patio while she was perched on my shoulder. In addition to the egg song there is usually a whole lot of squawk awk awk type sounds before they go in to actually lay.

Waiting is so hard... you're almost there!

my rooster with sing a long too its so cute

 

[Mimi13]

It is funny how people give roosters a hard time for being soooo loud, but my group of only four laying hens can be deafening when they ALL join in the song. One will lay an egg and begin singing then the backup singers start. It’s really amazing.

Oh, and BTW, my hens didn’t sing before they started laying, to the best of my recollection, so I would say you are so very, very close to having the best scrambled eggs ever!

 

[Nardo]

QUOTE/EggSighted4Life:

One even sang all day and then an egg popped out and smashed on my patio while she was perched on my shoulder.

In addition to the egg song there is usually a whole lot of squawk awk awk type sounds before they go in to actually lay.

 

[Nardo]

QUOTE: VTBobCat
As I was getting ready for work this morning, I heard the egg song for the first time! I stopped what I was doing and listened to be sure that is what I heard, then I heard it again!

Sound track courtesy of Lady Cluck and The Chickalettas

 

[Lifeiseasy]

If I remember correctly, mine started singing a only a couple of days before the first egg. Now one of my hens, Opal, sings every time ANYONE lays an egg. Even some of my neighbor’s chickens . My rooster hasn’t joined in but I think it’s great that some do. Instead mine lays with them while they’re laying every now and then.