Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[DimondaleBergs]

Hi all!
I'm a fairly new chick mom...our babies will be 17 weeks on Sunday. We have 12 and they just started laying yesterday...well at least two of them have..lol The first egg I found in the run was small, but the second that was in the nest was bigger. Tonight I found a second in the nest box that was the same size as the last one that was in there, so I'm assuming the same girl laid it. How in the world do you tell which ones are laying though? LOL I've thought about getting a camera to put in there but don't want to invade their privacy...lol
When we got the chicks, we got 5 red pullets, and 7 black sex links. One of the blacks has almost no comb and/or wattles. She is the same age as the others that have varying sizes. Also, there is no color other than gray in the little bit that she does have..I mean..we're talking MAYBE 1/16th of an inch off the top of her head. Is this something I need to worry about? I was watching her with the others tonight, and she seems to hold her own with getting food, but she is also one of the smallest chicks. One of the reds is small too. Should I be doing something to help their growth? I mean they really do eat when I take treats, and scratch out to them, but I haven't been able to see them eating out of the feeder very often.
Thanks

 

[jyurina]

Hi all!
I'm a fairly new chick mom...our babies will be 17 weeks on Sunday. We have 12 and they just started laying yesterday...well at least two of them have..lol The first egg I found in the run was small, but the second that was in the nest was bigger. Tonight I found a second in the nest box that was the same size as the last one that was in there, so I'm assuming the same girl laid it. How in the world do you tell which ones are laying though? LOL I've thought about getting a camera to put in there but don't want to invade their privacy...lol
When we got the chicks, we got 5 red pullets, and 7 black sex links. One of the blacks has almost no comb and/or wattles. She is the same age as the others that have varying sizes. Also, there is no color other than gray in the little bit that she does have..I mean..we're talking MAYBE 1/16th of an inch off the top of her head. Is this something I need to worry about? I was watching her with the others tonight, and she seems to hold her own with getting food, but she is also one of the smallest chicks. One of the reds is small too. Should I be doing something to help their growth? I mean they really do eat when I take treats, and scratch out to them, but I haven't been able to see them eating out of the feeder very often.
Thanks

I have 2 black sex links and 2 red. The red links and one of the black started laying early and just kept going. The one black not only wasn't laying she also had barely any comb and it was peach colored. About 6 weeks later she started laying. And her comb and wattle not only are now bigger than most of the other chickens but they are bright red. All the links were the same age so she was just a late bloomer-just be patient it will come.

 

[CatSol]

People develop at different paces So do the chickens... even when they are supposed to be early or late. My two Cuckoo Marans were about 6 weeks apart from laying their first egg... and they were from the same batch of chicks. It is so hard to be patient ...
But my 2 RIRs are now laying. YAh!...

.... They gave me no sign... No singing or squating in the weeks leading up to this. So it was a nice surprise. My first 5 egg day was fallowed by a 6 egg day... From 7 girls laying....
Though now I am keeping a very close watch on my gold-star Amber. She is showing some of the signs of being egg bound. Quite, sleeping a lot, fluffed up... She is eating some and pooping normally. I have given her 2 warm baths and she seemed to like them. I hope she pulls throw.

 

[DimondaleBergs]

I have 2 black sex links and 2 red. The red links and one of the black started laying early and just kept going. The one black not only wasn't laying she also had barely any comb and it was peach colored. About 6 weeks later she started laying. And her comb and wattle not only are now bigger than most of the other chickens but they are bright red. All the links were the same age so she was just a late bloomer-just be patient it will come.

Thanks jyurina! That makes me feel so much better. The other black sex links I have all have large, bright red combs and wattles..I was worried that something was wrong with her. lol

 

[DimondaleBergs]

People develop at different paces So do the chickens... even when they are supposed to be early or late. My two Cuckoo Marans were about 6 weeks apart from laying their first egg... and they were from the same batch of chicks. It is so hard to be patient ...
But my 2 RIRs are now laying. YAh!...

.... They gave me no sign... No singing or squating in the weeks leading up to this. So it was a nice surprise. My first 5 egg day was fallowed by a 6 egg day... From 7 girls laying....
Though now I am keeping a very close watch on my gold-star Amber. She is showing some of the signs of being egg bound. Quite, sleeping a lot, fluffed up... She is eating some and pooping normally. I have given her 2 warm baths and she seemed to like them. I hope she pulls throw.

Oh I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed that she's just feeling quiet and not egg bound.

 

[nakstk]

People develop at different paces So do the chickens... even when they are supposed to be early or late. My two Cuckoo Marans were about 6 weeks apart from laying their first egg... and they were from the same batch of chicks. It is so hard to be patient ...
But my 2 RIRs are now laying. YAh!...

.... They gave me no sign... No singing or squating in the weeks leading up to this. So it was a nice surprise. My first 5 egg day was fallowed by a 6 egg day... From 7 girls laying....
Though now I am keeping a very close watch on my gold-star Amber. She is showing some of the signs of being egg bound. Quite, sleeping a lot, fluffed up... She is eating some and pooping normally. I have given her 2 warm baths and she seemed to like them. I hope she pulls throw.

I did this with one of my SS when she was acting funny. It worked well and quickly too. http://hencam.com/faq/the-spa-treatment/

 

[CatSol]

I did this with one of my SS when she was acting funny. It worked well and quickly too. http://hencam.com/faq/the-spa-treatment/

Thanks... I had done the bath but I had not added the salts. Maybe that is what she needs. She eats... she poops... she has layed an egg... but she looks worse then before. I am not sure if she is going to make it... So it must be one of those other reasons that were listed in the article.... Thanks again. I may try the salt thing.

 

[jyurina]

My lovely bantam Hermia has begun hiding eggs in the Bouganvillea. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get them without suffering abrasions over most of your body? So we have marked them, candled them, and I will keep checking on them. I am hoping she is just getting a stash together and "might" sit on them. Gotta hope!

 

[Fletch83]

Thanks... I had done the bath but I had not added the salts. Maybe that is what she needs. She eats... she poops... she has layed an egg... but she looks worse then before. I am not sure if she is going to make it... So it must be one of those other reasons that were listed in the article.... Thanks again. I may try the salt thing.

Aw...I hope she starts doing better soon.

 

[LVchicks]

Well someone is laying

I've got 10 girls. BO, BR, RIR,EE and one Australorp. There are 21 weeks. We got two eggs Monday and one so far today. Same size and same color. Little (and so cute) but shell is nice and strong. My #1 candidate would be my top of the pecking order BR. Either her or my, BO, Violet. It is possible it is the Australorp or one of the RIR but the BO and BR were the first to get bright red wattles and combs. The only ones can I can totally eliminate are the EE.
Of course none of the three eggs have been laid in a nesting box. Two were found under the oleander the girls like to hang out under, the third in a corner of the coop. I know the oleander is poisonous. They've never eaten the foliage or flowers yet, I don't think they will.
I can confine them to the coop and run to force the egglaying into the boxes or at least the coop but my girls are so much happier free ranging. They all bunch up at the front of the run waiting to be let out if I don't open the door. The run and coop are plenty big enough for 10 hens but roaming our acre and catching lizards and chasing my cats is ever so much more fun.