Ok, newbie with a question. My barred rock hens will be roughly 17 weeks old tomorrow. I have kept their nesting boxes blocked off so they would not sleep there. Just wondering if it is time to open them up? Also, do I need to go ahead and put a fake egg in one or two of the boxes?

What exactly am I looking for when they are close to starting to lay? Their combs/faces are beginning to get much brighter red in them