First Egg Countdown

[w8ing4eggs]

I read that some EEs can start laying as early as 17 weeks so I am getting anxious. Their combs and wattles have not started developing yet. Does that have to happen before they lay? So many questions!

The two little ones at the bottom are EE eggs - they just started laying! These are their second and third eggs each. One got it in the nest box, the other was on the ground behind the kiddie-pool-dust-bath! One of the EE girls has a nice red comb and wattles, but the other one doesn't. She has turned red in the face, but that's it! They are 19 and a half weeks!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I am brand new to chickens. I have 2 black australorp mixes that are 13 weeks and 3 Easter Eggers that are 17 weeks. I put nesting boxes in the coop a week ago and put pine shavings and a couple of golf balls in them. I have a small coop so I need to open the people door to see what is going on in there, but so far I don't think any of them have checked out the boxes. Will they know what to do with the boxes once they get close to laying? Or do I need to put a chicken in there to show it to them? I can't imagine that would be any good since she would probably freak out if I tried that.

I read that some EEs can start laying as early as 17 weeks so I am getting anxious. Their combs and wattles have not started developing yet. Does that have to happen before they lay? So many questions!

They will start checking them out when they get close to laying. Put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest to encourage them to use them. A pullet that is going to lay will start pacing back and forth to the nesting box. Sometimes they don't make it back to the nest before the egg comes. They usually get the process within a week of laying and they start making it to the nest box.

Three of my EEs started laying in the last week. They are 23 weeks old and have red combs and wattles(the ones I can see beyond the puffy cheeks!). I was pleasantly surprised that my first EE who laid just figured out how to use the nesting boxes. Thanks to her, one of my buff knew just where to go when she laid. Their eggs are so pretty!!!


Your snowball and marshmallow look like our Happy

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Congrats!

Quote: Congrats!

 

[Happy Chooks]

We've been getting 3 nice brown eggs/day from 3 of our RSLs. Last Friday we got this cute little blue-green egg. It was a double yolker, too! From our only little buff banty EE. Was so excited....then nothing on Saturday. On Sunday we got two tiny little blue-green eggs. We have another EE who is ready to lay (squatting) but I did not see her in the nesting box. Only Buffy. Could she have laid both of them? The nest was emptied earlier in the day! And, so far no more little blue-green eggs! Thought maybe she was going to skip every other day. Who knows!?!

Could you have missed the egg on Saturday? It is extremely rare for a hen to lay 2 eggs in one day.

Sporadic laying when they start up is normal. It's part of their bodies adjusting to laying. Make sure they never run out of water, that will certainly affect egg production.

 

[sunflower4you]

I am brand new to chickens. I have 2 black australorp mixes that are 13 weeks and 3 Easter Eggers that are 17 weeks. I put nesting boxes in the coop a week ago and put pine shavings and a couple of golf balls in them. I have a small coop so I need to open the people door to see what is going on in there, but so far I don't think any of them have checked out the boxes. Will they know what to do with the boxes once they get close to laying? Or do I need to put a chicken in there to show it to them? I can't imagine that would be any good since she would probably freak out if I tried that.

I read that some EEs can start laying as early as 17 weeks so I am getting anxious. Their combs and wattles have not started developing yet. Does that have to happen before they lay? So many questions!

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I have done all I can in terms of nesting boxes and I just need to sit and be patient!

 

[hausfrau77]

Our buttercup has been squatting for 2 weeks, the barred cochin and bantam started this week so hope to see something soon from someone, still on a countdown

 

[Renee572]

Good luck, the first egg is so exciting. I am still excited after 5 1/2 weeks. I finally have 2 layers and I am waiting on 2 more first eggs. It was just as exciting getting our first 2 egg day as it was getting our very first egg and I am sure our 1st 3 egg and 1st 4 egg days will be even more exciting! The wait is soo hard though.

 

[w8ing4eggs]

Could you have missed the egg on Saturday? It is extremely rare for a hen to lay 2 eggs in one day.

Sporadic laying when they start up is normal. It's part of their bodies adjusting to laying. Make sure they never run out of water, that will certainly affect egg production.

We didn't miss one, but I think we have two new layers!! Both of them seem pretty sporadic, but we've spotted them both in the nesting box! So maybe...mystery solved!

 

[w8ing4eggs]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I have done all I can in terms of nesting boxes and I just need to sit and be patient!

That's the hard part!! Good luck!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Our buttercup has been squatting for 2 weeks, the barred cochin and bantam started this week so hope to see something soon from someone, still on a countdown

They are super close!

 

[Renee572]

They are super close!

I'm not completely convinced that squatting necessarily means they are super close. I think it means they could lay at anytime but I have 4 hens, 4 squatters and only 2 layers and the other 2 have been squatting at least a week if not 2. But I am still anxiously waiting.