16 weeks old and I got my first egg?????

[Lisa202]

Hi All,

I'm so excited...I just went out to give my 16 week old bantams (4 EE's - 3 brahmas -1 golden seabright-1 cochin-1 brahma roo) their bedtime oatmeal and corn and I saw an egg!!! A little lite blueish/lite greenish egg. It was broken open and what was left inside was frozen. It looked like only white was left.

Besides the fact that I'm sooooo surprised to have an egg this early...and that the shell was perfect even thought they are still on starter/grower feed (not layer)...but I'm also upset that it was broken into and eaten. I don't know when it was laid, since I wasn't looking yet, but...

a) is this normal?
b) do I have a problem now with them knowing eggs are good to eat?
c)should I switch to layer feed now?
d) do you think some jellylike eggs were laid and they ate them too?
e) who do you think did it?
f) could they have just stepped on the egg...broken it...and then the stuff inside just seeped out without them noticing? (I know, I'm reaching)

They have open access to the large run (I kept the snow out), so they haven't been "cooped up" during this horrible weather, so the egg eating isn't boredom (I don't think).

Wow...my first egg!!! It's so cute.

 

[draye]

That is great.

 

[catdaddy66]

Let us take these questions one at a time.

a) yes
b) not if you regularly collect the eggs, about once or twice a day is recommended
c)yes, or just add oyster shell free choice
d)possibly, but who knows?
e)one of the EE's for sure
f)again, it's possible. If it was eaten it was opportunistic most likely but may develop into more serious behavior. Regular checks should eliminate the problem.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

You are SOOOO lucky! Two of my three (EEs) just started laying two weeks ago at 26 weeks. One STILL hasn't started laying

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
Yes, I thought that they generally didn't start laying until they were about 5 to 6 months old.

Why do you think mine (at least one of them) started so early? I did look and one of the EE's comb is redder than all the others...if that is actually a sign that they are ready to lay.

 

[catdaddy66]

A red comb/wattle IS a sign of maturation in both sexes. It just may be this bird's time, to lay that is. Although I don't know which, I'm sure in some cultures that early laying may be a good omen!! (just trying to stay positive!!)