Had one egg, now all the girls are going insane. UPDATE w/PHOTOs

[JulieZ]

One of my girls laid an egg 2 days ago. This was unexpected at the ages are 16 & 20 weeks but apparently not uncommon.

I quickly placed 2 medium rubbermaids filled with hay into their coop (lower than roosting). This morning I go out & find one of my LB's (Lexie) in the bin just a squawking. There were 4 other girls "in line" talking up a storm despite there being an empty bin for someone right next to it.

When Lexie saw me she jumped out of the bin. No one else jumped in but they were bak-bak-bak'n it up. I went into the house & checked the bins but nothing. Lexie jumped in & out of the bin a couple of times but apparently I was interupting her so I decided it was time to leave. As I was walking out, I turned & "Leghorn" jumped into the bin. She has been one of the quiet ones behind me but when she stood in that bin, she was so loud with that egg song.

What do you make of this? Could it be they are just checking out the bin, find it cool & chatter it up or should I continue with my excitement that my girls are becoming hens?

Julie

 

[Big dreams]

They are getting very close!!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Practice makes perfect...

 

[JulieZ]

I had to leave the house to do some errand running & all I could think of was this posting. I can't wait to update - I heard some squawking when walking to the house & I don't want to interrupt anyone so I'm trying to be patient. This is really exciting. Does it go away even after the girls start laying on a regular basis? Is it like the lottery each & every time you go out to collect?

Julie

 

[JulieZ]

Welp ... I checked & here is what I found. The extra large egg is 2 oz in weight with a nice, hard shell. The other two are like dotted ping pall balls with a different brown. Is this what they look like at first or does a specific breed produce specks? (BO, BR, LB, DB)

if you look at the middle egg, it looks like it is about to crack but the shell is rock solid. By accident I dropped it on the counter & it did not crack but is it normal for the cracks to be on there for 1st time eggs?

What is the rule of thumb about eating eggs after they are first hatched like this? I've read not to eat any until after a week, two weeks & even a month.

It was exactly like winning the lotto!!
Julie

 

[Lesa]

I can't imagine why you wouldn't eat the first eggs!! I certainly ate all of mine...I probably wouldn't eat the tiny ones- I save mine in a birds nest, because I think they are too cute!! Enjoy your lovely eggs!

 

[JulieZ]

Someone told me to use one of the tiny ones in the other bin that none of the chickens are using to help encourage them BUT after all the postings I have read through about hens eating their eggs ... no thanks! I am going to crack the little ones open later tonight when husband gets home. I want to inspect how I've been treating my girls. : )

Julie

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Congratulations on your hens becoming productive!

 

[emrys]

I have found that a little age on an egg makes for easier peeling after boiling. Other than that there is no reason to wait to eat. Each pullet's first egg went to the person for whom she was named. Everyone seemed ticked with their namesakes tiny egg. Each of my hens lay distinctly different eggs which makes it easy to see who's working and who's on vacation. Today I got a nice big Peggy Sue egg but Sheila and Pitty Patt are on strike due to the heat!!! Wooden eggs or golf balls make nice "nest ornaments".

 

[newchicksnducks]

Quote:
LOL! It really depends on the hen. Some of my girls are quiet, do their business, and leave their deposit. Others want to announce to the world they are going to go into the box to lay an egg, that they are in the box laying, and that they've completed their deposit. Some even stand on the mini-roost in the coop and cheer the other girls on!

The first girl I had lay was like that. And after her first egg (which she literally bawked about for over 2 hours!), she spent the afternoon in the run with a low muttering/grumbling. I think she was trying to scare the other girls with her "awful delivery" story!