18 week old serama now a hen

[CatWhisperer]

A few days ago I found an impossibly tiny egg in an old cat carrier so I knew laying had begun. This morning I couldn't find one of my 2 serama pullets and was panicking that something had gotten her. Finally found her sitting on a nest 5 feet off the ground with 7 eggs. She isn't brooding them. Can I take the eggs and eat them? It's been hot and humid here. Or should I leave them? The rooster that's been breeding her is not the one I would choose but these would be pet quality anyway.

 

[ValerieJ]

You can give them the float test to know if they are good.
https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/10/the-float-test.html

 

[aart]

A few days ago I found an impossibly tiny egg in an old cat carrier so I knew laying had begun. This morning I couldn't find one of my 2 serama pullets and was panicking that something had gotten her. Finally found her sitting on a nest 5 feet off the ground with 7 eggs. She isn't brooding them. Can I take the eggs and eat them? It's been hot and humid here. Or should I leave them? The rooster that's been breeding her is not the one I would choose but these would be pet quality anyway.

Do you want to hatch them?
Do you have an incubator?
If she's not broody not sense in leaving them.
If you have more than one male, there's no telling who may have fertilized the eggs.


Do not float eggs you want to incubate.

You can give them the float test to know if they are good.
https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/10/the-float-test.html

The float test will only tell if egg is older, floats due to dehydration, it won't tell if you if egg is 'good' or 'bad'.
When in doubt....
Open eggs one at a time in a separate dish before adding to pan or recipe,
use your eyes, nose, and common sense to decide if egg is OK to eat.

 

[aart]

You may want to 'train' your layer to use the coop nests.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Oh, and....
FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[CatWhisperer]

I thought female chickens were hens when they start laying. Especially an early maturing breed like seramas. I don’t know that I can find serama sized fake eggs.

 

[aart]

I thought female chickens were hens when they start laying.

Nope...common misconception.

I don’t know that I can find serama sized fake eggs.

Maybe at a hobby/craft store....or anything thing roundish and close in size would work. I, and many others, use golf balls for fake eggs.