First Egg Likely? Even in November?

[aart]

I went out to the nest box this morning and found two soft shelled eggs

This is not at all uncommon for new layers.
No need for the calcium citrate if they are eating the oyster shells.
Just be patient, it can take up to a month for things to smooth out.

 

[Winderdear]

This is not at all uncommon for new layers.
No need for the calcium citrate if they are eating the oyster shells.
Just be patient, it can take up to a month for things to smooth out.

Wonderful! Thank you for letting me know, I was stressing about it! I did buy the calcium citrate, and let all four pullets share a 500mg pill broken into small pieces. I’ll hold off on giving them any more for now.

Thanks again, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you, and all the lovely BYC people out there!

 

[Winderdear]

Just wanted to update with a picture of the eggs I’m getting now. They do indeed get darker. Only Juillet and Août, my Cuckoo Marans and Blue Cuckoo Marans, are laying. However, Juin, my Dominique has just started squatting and changing the way she clucks. Any day now! My Welsummer seems to have no interest in laying, but I have heard they aren’t good winter layers, so I’d be very surprised if she started laying before spring.

We’ve been calling the eggs Juilleggs and Aœûfs depending on who lays them, lol. Mei’s eggs, whenever they arrive will be Meggs. I’m not sure I can make a Juin egg pun, but if anyone has any ideas let me know



Right to left: the first Juillegg (11/19), an enormous AϞf from Thanksgiving (11/23), AϞf from yesterday, Juillegg from this morning.

I honestly wasn’t expecting such dark eggs from my Marans. They’re hatchery quality, and Cuckoo rather than Black Copper, so I assumed I would get a normal brown egg from them. It’s a pleasant surprise! Août has laid eggs just as dark as Juillet earlier this week, but sometimes they are coming out more speckled and lighter like the one pictured.

Edit: typos

 

[Winderdear]

Time for an update! Juin (my Dominique) has laid her first egg! She has been ridiculously noisy for two weeks now, squatting anytime you get near her, and much less inclined to relax in my lap like she used to do. She seemingly laid a shell-less egg while on the roost bar on 12/6, and it took her one more week to try again. Here is her lovely egg:

 

[Mrs. K]

Is this not just ridiculously fun. I have had chickens for decades, and I am giving my pullets the look, "are you getting close? Hmm, how old are you?" Counting the months AGAIN.

 

[Jabber315]

Hello all! My four girls are 22 weeks today received as day old chicks on 6/13. My Cuckoo Marans, Juillet, has become much more vocal this past week and is squatting when we go to pet her. She always crouched and tried to slink away, but now she sometimes just stands still and gets really flat all of a sudden when I get close. I assume this means eggs are imminent, but how soon? Because of how late it is in the year, I assumed I wouldn’t get eggs until the days lengthened. Is it possible for her to have this behavior and still not lay an egg until next year, or does this behavior mean she will lay for me sooner rather than later? We aren’t using supplemental light, if that’s relevant. I’m honestly a little terrified for them to start laying in case they have some issue, but I’m the worrying type.

Here are some pictures of my flock from a couple days ago. Feel free to guess when they’ll lay their first egg! I’ll be sure to update when they do!

Juillet (Cuckoo Marans):
View attachment 3683156
Août (Blue Cuckoo Marans):
View attachment 3683159

Mei (Welsummer):
View attachment 3683162

Juin (Dominique):
View attachment 3683164

P.S. Aren’t they just lovely to look at?

You have some beauties, for sure!! I have 4 Brahma hens, and 1 roo! All Hatched between Jan-March 2023.... 1st laying hen started in mid- September. There was another from same hatch that didn't start laying until last week!! The other 2, are 1-2 months younger and both started laying on the same day, 2 days ago . I thought for sure, the 3 wouldn't start until spring. We don't give extra lighting, either and live in Ohio!

 

[Winderdear]

You have some beauties, for sure!! I have 4 Brahma hens, and 1 roo! All Hatched between Jan-March 2023.... 1st laying hen started in mid- September. There was another from same hatch that didn't start laying until last week!! The other 2, are 1-2 months younger and both started laying on the same day, 2 days ago . I thought for sure, the 3 wouldn't start until spring. We don't give extra lighting, either and live in Ohio!

Thank you! I’m so glad your girls started laying for you this year, but goodness that’s a long wait! I’m still waiting on my Welsummer, who has recently started squatting for me. I have my fingers crossed that she’ll start laying before Christmas. I can’t wait to see if she lays a speckled egg!