We got 2 eggs today!!! Not sure just who laid it, but I don't care. This one was in the nest box too. I have a suspicion that one of them is laying near the hen house,but I can't find her dugout yet. I can't wait till the kids get home and I can tell them!
19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??
- Thread starter Debs55
- Start date
I'm so anxious for my Barred, Petrie to lay! Then I'll have 3 out of 5 hens laying! She's squatting and checking out the nest boxes like crazy!
- Aug 2, 2012
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She may be eating the eggs, but usually (especially with young chickens) if they're eating eggs it shows that they're lacking something else in their diet. Maybe if you start putting oyster shell or (baked to dry it and broken up) crumbled eggshells in the feed, she'll stop eating eggs. Also, fake eggs like easter eggs (plastic) or a rock of the right size or a golf ball can trick them into not eating eggs if they are, cause they peck it and go "ow!" and stop. or so people have told me.
I've found I just need to check for eggs more often to make them not eat them when they do that. And really, try the oystershell and eggshells, often they're craving calcium or protein, and if they're on laying pellets they should be ok. good luck!
She may be eating the eggs, but usually (especially with young chickens) if they're eating eggs it shows that they're lacking something else in their diet. Maybe if you start putting oyster shell or (baked to dry it and broken up) crumbled eggshells in the feed, she'll stop eating eggs. Also, fake eggs like easter eggs (plastic) or a rock of the right size or a golf ball can trick them into not eating eggs if they are, cause they peck it and go "ow!" and stop. or so people have told me.
I've found I just need to check for eggs more often to make them not eat them when they do that. And really, try the oystershell and eggshells, often they're craving calcium or protein, and if they're on laying pellets they should be ok. good luck!
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So tonight we get home from work just to pick up a couple things before heading over to my parent's for mom's b-day. I noticed that the horse fence was off a couple step in posts. Horses spent the day inside out of the heat, but didn't want to deal with it in the dark when we got home. So I go hook the fenceline up and come back up the hill to get going. As I am walking past the chicken run/pasture, I notice a strange pile of rocks. I go back to look. Imagine my surprise/disgust at finding a huge pile of eggs that were hidden in the weeds. I've done walk throughs before, but not over to that spot. And I've been watching the girls for squatting (none), haven't heard egg songs, couple combs have gotten bigger/pink, but not bright red. I did a quick egg count from what I could see on top of the dirt. 50... I've been waiting to see my first egg and I find a pile of 50... No clue how old they are and we have had some hot humid days, so first thing tomorrow morning I get to go bag up 50+ beautiful brown eggs to toss in the garbage (which thankfully picks up tomorrow).
No white or colored eggs, so those girls are still slacking. Excited that they are finally laying, but very upset that I missed my first egg (or the next 50 for that matter) and we still don't have the nest boxes complete. I did put the extra large litter box in the coop last week for them to use until I get the boxes done this weekend; tossed 3 of the eggs from the top of the pile into the litter box. Very irritated with myself for not being more vigilant.
At least we know we don't have any egg eating predators nearby... Not counting roos, I have 1 GLW cross, 2 NH, 2 BB orps, 1 aussie, 2 Ancona, 2 EE. These were all March chicks.
So tonight we get home from work just to pick up a couple things before heading over to my parent's for mom's b-day. I noticed that the horse fence was off a couple step in posts. Horses spent the day inside out of the heat, but didn't want to deal with it in the dark when we got home. So I go hook the fenceline up and come back up the hill to get going. As I am walking past the chicken run/pasture, I notice a strange pile of rocks. I go back to look. Imagine my surprise/disgust at finding a huge pile of eggs that were hidden in the weeds. I've done walk throughs before, but not over to that spot. And I've been watching the girls for squatting (none), haven't heard egg songs, couple combs have gotten bigger/pink, but not bright red. I did a quick egg count from what I could see on top of the dirt. 50... I've been waiting to see my first egg and I find a pile of 50... No clue how old they are and we have had some hot humid days, so first thing tomorrow morning I get to go bag up 50+ beautiful brown eggs to toss in the garbage (which thankfully picks up tomorrow).No white or colored eggs, so those girls are still slacking. Excited that they are finally laying, but very upset that I missed my first egg (or the next 50 for that matter) and we still don't have the nest boxes complete. I did put the extra large litter box in the coop last week for them to use until I get the boxes done this weekend; tossed 3 of the eggs from the top of the pile into the litter box. Very irritated with myself for not being more vigilant.At least we know we don't have any egg eating predators nearby... Not counting roos, I have 1 GLW cross, 2 NH, 2 BB orps, 1 aussie, 2 Ancona, 2 EE. These were all March chicks.
Wow!!! They are really good at hiding eggs! LOL So sorry you missed your first eggs. If you need to know which you can keep and still eat, fill a bowl or pitcher with water and one by one dunk them in the water. If they sink, they're still good. If they hover in the middle or float to the top, don't eat them. Though...it's been hot, so if you have roosters and they've fertilized those eggs you could have some development...maybe.
Oh, and if you want to train them where to lay you'll have to stop letting them free-range for a few days/weeks to get them laying in the right spots.
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One of my Easter Eggers laid her first egg today, a pretty little green egg, about half the size of the Red Star eggs I get, perfectly formed. Perfect shell and all!!! I'm so proud!!! She was 18 weeks old as of this past Saturday, July 28th I will post a pic of it later, couldn't get it to work tonight.
The first two easter egger eggs, on the right an egg from one of my red star hens, just for size comparison.
The easter eggers have started laying, I have at least two laying, I got two green eggs today, one about the size of a leghorn egg, the other a smaller egg like the two pictured. They are 19 and 1/2 weeks now.
What a sight to see! I am sorry to that you missed your first egg.
My Barred Rock, Eagle Eye is 19.5 weeks old. She laid her first egg about 10:30 a.m. on 8/9/12 and her second at 11:50 a.m. on 8/10/12. I am wondering if the other 15 girls might be hiding some....
L-R Store bought large, Eagle's first egg, Eagle's second egg.
L-R Store bought large, Eagle's first egg, Eagle's second egg.
The first two easter egger eggs, on the right an egg from one of my red star hens, just for size comparison.
The easter eggers have started laying, I have at least two laying, I got two green eggs today, one about the size of a leghorn egg, the other a smaller egg like the two pictured. They are 19 and 1/2 weeks now.
Gorgeous! Congrats!
Oh My!! well a bit bitter sweet I'd say too, very happy for the folks getting beautiful, perfect little eggs in their nest boxes, a bit sorry for myself (the girls don't seem to care!) I got a deformed soft shelled egg last Saturday just outside the nest box and nothing since......Look at the bright side YAY!!!! you definitely don't have egg eaters or predators around!!! Also, wow what a pile of gorgeous eggs, many many more where they came from....count them for kicks, and CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THOSE EGGS!!!!!!!
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