First Egg Likely? Even in November?

[GirlsHuntToo]

Juillet’s first egg (and our first egg) has been laid! Yay!

She laid it sometime around 9am, a beautiful medium sized brown egg, one week after she started squatting. It was so lovely I blew it out so that I could admire it forever!

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Here it is in comparison with a store bought large egg:

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It tasted remarkably like the store bought egg, lol. My husband did a blind taste test and couldn’t distinguish any difference. Still, I am glad that it tastes normal, and it clearly is healthier since I know Juillet is eating all organic feed along with lots of greens and bugs.

As to behavior, she stayed loud right up until the egg was laid. I missed her egg song unfortunately, but there will be many other opportunities I hope. I knew she was close to laying yesterday, because she started eating the eggshells I had put out for them weeks ago (along with oyster shells), whereas previously I couldn’t get her to take any interest. She also had been excited to inspect the nest boxes yesterday and this morning. Just FYI, she chose one of the large nest boxes, the one closest to the human door.

What a wonderful chicken she is, I love her dearly!

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I missed this! Congratulations!!! Great job Juillet!! I am proud of you! Keep laying those beautiful eggs! And don't worry they will get darker as she continues to lay. Give her a few months!

 

[chickenlover8969]

you might get a few but dong get discoureged if you dont get any you probaly will but you might not since they havent layed before and there going into winter when they are supplosed to start laying but once it starts to warm up your eggs will be ploppin out alot my first chickens there first eggs where in winter but they were light brahmas there egg laying sppeds up in the winter

 

[K0k0shka]

P.S. I've had pullets start at the end of November or even mid-December and lay through the rest of winter (in MA so cold winters). If it's this late and they are able to start, then they'll probably keep going.

 

[Winderdear]

I missed this! Congratulations!!! Great job Juillet!! I am proud of you! Keep laying those beautiful eggs! And don't worry they will get darker as she continues to lay. Give her a few months!

Thank you! I‘m so proud too! She even laid another egg this morning! It was smaller, but still so pretty. What a girl!

 

[Winderdear]

P.S. I've had pullets start at the end of November or even mid-December and lay through the rest of winter (in MA so cold winters). If it's this late and they are able to start, then they'll probably keep going.

That would be amazing! Fingers crossed for eggs all winter! None of my others have any signs of laying yet, beyond the bright red combs and wattles, but maybe Juillet will motivate them.

 

[Winderdear]

you might get a few but dong get discoureged if you dont get any you probaly will but you might not since they havent layed before and there going into winter when they are supplosed to start laying but once it starts to warm up your eggs will be ploppin out alot my first chickens there first eggs where in winter but they were light brahmas there egg laying sppeds up in the winter

Thanks for your reply! I did end up with one chicken who started laying yesterday!

So far, the others aren’t showing any signs of starting to lay. I wouldn’t blame them if they wanted to wait until spring though. I’m amazed my Cuckoo Marans started this late in the year!

 

[chickenlover8969]

yah

 

[chickenlover8969]

Thanks for your reply! I did end up with one chicken who started laying yesterday!

So far, the others aren’t showing any signs of starting to lay. I wouldn’t blame them if they wanted to wait until spring though. I’m amazed my Cuckoo Marans started this late in the year!

yah Ive been researching chickens for a long time now Its crazy how much there is to learn I know so much but so little Im glad your hen started laying If there not showing any sighns then theh might ne waiting what climate are you in and how old are they???

 

[Winderdear]

yah Ive been researching chickens for a long time now Its crazy how much there is to learn I know so much but so little Im glad your hen started laying If there not showing any sighns then theh might ne waiting what climate are you in and how old are they???

We’re in Tennessee, so it’s not been too cold yet. My girls are 23 weeks now

 

[Winderdear]

I went out to the nest box this morning and found two soft shelled eggs, and Juillet was acting like she hadn’t laid yet, running in and out of the coop screeching. It could be that she was upset about her soft egg, or perhaps that one or two of my other pullets had been in her favorite box laying eggs. She has been sitting in the nest box for about 30 minutes.

I’m fairly certain, after checking all my girls’ vents, that at the very least Août (my Blue Cuckoo Marans) is also laying. She and my Welsummer also have very red combs and wattles, but neither are squatting. Août has been more willing to be petted and held lately though, where usually she is rather distant. I find that all of my pullets are interested in egg shells now. Août is even eating the oyster shell pebbles if I hand them to her. I’m considering giving then all some calcium citrate, which I’ve seen recommended on this forum. Any advice is very welcome!