Woot! I have moved my girls into a tractor because I have way too many boys. So I built a tractor with covered sides for the girls to live in. It has shelter/shade and is easy to move around daily for fresh grash and bugs. They've been thrilled with their new home and get all excited about moving over to a new patch of grass. I don't move them until the afternoon, when I have more time so I didn't notice the egg this morning and I almost didn't notice it this afternoon! It wasn't until I was changing out their 'puddle pan.' In addtion to their drinking water, I have a small galvanized pan filled with water for the girls to play in when they're in their tractor. I took out the puddle pan to clean it, turned to close the lid to the tractor and WHOA!!! there it was right next to where the pan was!! sitting in the middle, with the girls waddling around it. I had to glance twice! An EGG! An EGG! OMGosh! It's an EGG!! Sadly no one was home to share my excitement! and no one was answering their phone either!! But I have an egg! Can't wait to see if they'll lay again tomorrow or not. One question though, it's smaller than I expected. It's only about the size of a large chicken egg. Is that because it's the first? or will they always be that size?
It's a great happy feeling to find that first egg! I had ducks years ago, and I really don't remember the first eggs, but I'd guess that just like chickens, they lay smaller eggs at first.
woohoo! #2! Same size shape and color How much fun! I didn't want to disturb 'em so I waited until 6am to check, I'd love to figure out which one's laying. Would be neat to keep track
Congratz! As I understand it the first eggs are smaller and they gradually gain size and correct shape as everything works itself out. My girls first egg was slightly smaller than a large chicken egg. Also, don't be surprised if they stop after a week take a few days break and start up again.
My third hen (Khaki) just started laying this morning. Her sister (Khaki) started laying on 10/27/11 and my Magpie on 8/15/2011. Smallest egg is newest layer, largest egg from the Magpie. The Magpie's eggs started out about as small as the smallest in this pic and have grown to the size of the egg on the right. Whoops forgot the link L to r 11/8/11 layer, 10/27/11 layer, 8/15/11 layer Pardon the dirty eggs but this shows the size different a little better - in standard egg crate Magpie egg (8/15 left), new egg (11/8 front), Khaki egg (10/27 right)
Thanks, so glad they do get bigger! It was kind of disappointing, lol. I'm trying to record all the dates, I think I'll record the sizes too. Just for fun! I took a few pics yesterday but my camera cord is in the truck and hubby went to work!
