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

[Delight30]

Our first egg from our RSL 17/18 wks old. So happy

 

[CatSol]

Congrats!

 

[jtbass2756]

Our first egg from our RSL 17/18 wks old. So happy

Yes.......Yes............YES!!!!!

isn't that the neatest thing !? Now who's going to get to eat this one? LOLOL

 

[Delight30]

Yes.......Yes............YES!!!!!

isn't that the neatest thing !? Now who's going to get to eat this one? LOLOL

The husband has dibs on this one, so the kids think...... waiting for another egg, so the girls will get the taste the eggs first!

So happy, my girls came running out to the coop to see the egg in the nest. Of course the my entire family and all my friends have been notified of our new arrival, however they can't understand our eggcitement!

 

[jtbass2756]

My run is getting close to getting close to being finished but with me being very inexperienced........I need advice........

I have 2 questions: I have 4 boxes and 4 ladies. They are all new layers.. last 2 weeks in fact. 2 of them fight over the first box in the row.

If the brahma gets in there...the bossy RIR heads up there and pushes her way in there. Why don't they just go to the next box? I've thought about closing off that one and making them use one of the others just to break this up early...Any thoughts?

Next question: I have a newbie layer...thinking its my younger Golden Laced. Whoever it is, they are not using a box. they are laying it on the board that is where I collect the poop under the roost. It has been soft shelled and I'm not worried about that but....why does she use the poop board which is not far from the boxes....like 3 chicken steps away?

 

[Spikes Chooks]

My run is getting close to getting close to being finished but with me being very inexperienced........I need advice........

I have 2 questions: I have 4 boxes and 4 ladies. They are all new layers.. last 2 weeks in fact. 2 of them fight over the first box in the row.

If the brahma gets in there...the bossy RIR heads up there and pushes her way in there. Why don't they just go to the next box? I've thought about closing off that one and making them use one of the others just to break this up early...Any thoughts?

It's not about the box - it's about their own status..... If you block their "favourite" they'll just repeat the same behaviour in another box. The bossy RIR is showing the Brahma that she is higher in the pecking order, and she wants into that box, she'll be having that d***n box! If it's any consolation, they do seem to act like squabbly teenagers when they are first laying, and eventually it all calms down. Everyone knows their place and there is less need to demonstrate a higher status. Mine are just over a year old now, have returned to laying after a brief autumn moult and they don't behave like this any more. They have grown up! Try not to stress about it, they're just being teenage chickens.

As to your next question, my theory is than when they are just starting and their body hasn't worked out the whole process, they can lay soft or even no shelled eggs - and I think this passes through their vent so easily they don't even know it's about to happen. Maybe they just haven't learnt to read the signs yet. It is more common to find these eggs under the roost than in the nesting box - and I was grateful for that when I got shell-less ones, as it was less mess to clean up. Her system will kick in eventually and she'll feel the egg with a hard shell and that will be her signal to get to the nesting box. Meantime, you'll most likely get them under the roost. I put lots of sugar cane mulch (like straw) underneath so soft-shelled ones didn't break.

All the best
Katrina

 

[jtbass2756]

Katrina,

thank you for answering my question. I totally understand it the way you said it....about teenage stuff, and especially about the peking order,,,in fact, that explains a lot. !!! LOLOL

But because of that I was peeking into the back access door while they were both in the box, knowing there was not room for a big RIR and a bigger brahma...they didn't move when I opened the door so I watched. All of a sudden, the brahma,who was only squatting by now, dropped an egg right there in front of me! I got to see an egg laid !!!!

 

[Spikes Chooks]

Katrina,

thank you for answering my question. I totally understand it the way you said it....about teenage stuff, and especially about the peking order,,,in fact, that explains a lot. !!! LOLOL

But because of that I was peeking into the back access door while they were both in the box, knowing there was not room for a big RIR and a bigger brahma...they didn't move when I opened the door so I watched. All of a sudden, the brahma,who was only squatting by now, dropped an egg right there in front of me! I got to see an egg laid !!!!

Hey. that's fantastic. I have never managed to see that. so I can only hope one day....

 

[nakstk]

I only have one box for 7 hens. Its a pretty big box and I have seen 3 hens in there all laying at the same time. It's sort of funny to watch they will try and lay in one spot and will stand on top of one another to get to that spot. They only time there was any blood shed was when Mabel was broody she didn't like to share the box with Phoebe anyone else it was fine just not Phoebe.

 

[happylittlehens]

I have a squatter lol! One of my 19 Week leghorns did the squat when I tried to pet her today. First egg coming soon I hope!