Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[WVduckchick]

Top row, first egg is my standard Golden Comet egg. The rest of that row comes from what I believed to be one white silkie.

Bottom row, first egg, I got yesterday. Smaller, slightly lighter color, was in a different nest box, so I thought "maybe" one of my 18-week lav orps might have laid it. Today, I got the pair of eggs on the bottom. Problem is... I have 2 white silkies, both of which I thought were female, then thought both were males, then started getting the top eggs, so I knew one was female, but still thought the other was male!! Today, the "male" squatted for me for the first time! So..... I'm back to square 1! UGH!!!

 

[Mutt Farm]

My 17-week-old minxes are a ways off yet. I have 2 EEs and 1 each Lt Brahma, Australorp, GLW, White Rock, and Dominique. No squatting except occasionally from the Dom (and she may simply be eluding my petting but she did lift up her wings at the same time a time or two). No egg song practice. The White Rock let me pet her today, something she has not been into for the past couple of months. I think I am grasping at straws trying to see a sign, though.

I opened up the nesting boxes last week and for 2 days the boxes were undisturbed. The next day I caught them tentatively looking. And each day since, the three nesting boxes in sequence have been semi-trashed. By that I mean the special bedding (chopped hay-straw mix with some herbs added) has been partially removed to the floor of the coop and the wooden eggs rearranged. I can't tell if they are getting in there and messing them up or doing it all from the ground (the missing "nest" materials are to the front). Good sign or insignificant?

Should I put out oyster shells now or wait til they are closer to laying?

Thanks for any advice. I'm so jealous of all the pretty eggs you guys are getting!

All those signs are good for you! Yes, put oyster shell in now. They won't eat it if they don't need it. Some of mine I thought practiced a song, only to find they were hollering to get out. Some squatted for 2 weeks, the EE only once, 2 days before the blue egg. Some of mine arranged nests, then laid, some trashed a nest then laid an egg. The waiting is agonizing! First EE eggs this week at 25 weeks, It'll happen! Nothing I said will make you less confused. I ran myself crazy. Good luck!

 

[Mutt Farm]

Pretty! I wish your Lav Orp was laying! I have 7 that are 18 weeks and don't think any are ready yet, but I'll explain more in my next post with pic...

You have LavOrp? I wish I had more than 1. I love those big sweet fatties, but they take so muck extra care in this heat! Please tag me in your next post if you don't post on this thread. Crack up your post about hen or roo, now roo squatting! I need the "rest of the story"!

 

[cluckylady812]

Im pretty sure all 8 girls are laying. They started within two weeks of the first and twice ive gotten 6 eggs in a day. We didnt hear the egg song until the first was laid and discovered that what i thought was squatting wasnt lol. That didnt start until the two week period and my australorps still dont. The brahmas must be laying but their faces are no where as developed and red as the others. Happy to have our lil eggs coming finally!!! They were all just about 5 months old. The new hampshire was first.

 

[WVduckchick]

Well, I got a soft egg this morning, with a long "wick" attached... Looks just like the silkie eggs, so I am leaning toward both my silkies being girls. Guess I better change Bo Duke's name back to Molly...

 

[Oliver Douglas]

This morning was a first! One hen in the nest, the other pacing around, waiting her turn! They usually each lay on different days...tag team egging...hopefully we will get two today instead of the usual one....they seem to favor one nesting box....

 

[Diney]

I have one RIR roo, he is about 5 1/2 months old and has always been really mellow until yesterday. He was out with his girls and I went outside and he actually came across the lawn and got all huffy with me. Boy was I surprised. Hoping that he was just having a mental breakdown day and we won't have a repeat performance.

 

[Oliver Douglas]

Probably had an argument with his favorite girl...happens all the time. Just pop a beer with him and listen to his complaints...then sing "Sweet Adeline:" together.

 

[Oliver Douglas]

This morning was a first! One hen in the nest, the other pacing around, waiting her turn! They usually each lay on different days...tag team egging...hopefully we will get two today instead of the usual one....they seem to favor one nesting box....

Yep, got two this morning! Unfortunately, since the two hens favor the same box, one egg got slightly cracked....but the eggs are getting bigger. Pojo produces bigger eggs than "Squawky" but give them time, I guess. Alice is still on the sidelines...guess she's management...

 

[pibblesNchicks]

Swapped out my oldest BSL that hasn't produced an egg in over a month for 2 new pullets. Really excited to have eggs from the Black Copper Maran. So far it's a rocky start integrating the Houdan mix into the flock. The others don't seem to like the poofy head feathers! I think they're quite jealous of it!