1ST EGG!!

[Ginmary]

Buffy, my 4 month Buff Orpington laid her 1st egg last week, August 16th. She's now up to 9 eggs. I wasn't expecting them so soon. I thought hens had to be at least 5 - 6 months before starting.

It's so cute. When she goes into the coop to lay, the other two hens wait for her by the door.

The eggs are a light brown but I thought they'd be bigger from a BO. I understand that in the beginning they lay smaller eggs?

The top is a large store bought one.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've only had one bird in my life that laid a large egg as her first egg. Pullets always start with tiny eggs. They get larger over the next few months.
20-26 weeks for the first egg is common for most breeds but I've heard of eggs as early as 15 weeks.

 

[Sue S]

Congratulations, It's so exciting when they start laying

 

[N F C]

Congratulations!

 

[Ginmary]

I'm going to blow it out and make an ornament. maybe I'll put her picture on it with the date!

 

[N F C]

I'm going to blow it out and make an ornament. maybe I'll put her picture on it with the date!

Take a look at this article I wrote a couple years ago...one of the projects described was just what you want to do:
creative-crafting-with-eggshells.72421

 

[Ginmary]

Thanks. I just read the article. Now I have to actually get it done!

 

[SavKel&RynKel]

Congrats on the egg! We had our first from a 16 week RIR about two months ago, and one buff about three weeks after that- and last weekend she went broody! Our second Orpington has not shown any signs yet, so don't worry about it happening to yours, just wanted to share that these gals seem to do things at their own pace, so you might get a lot of "too soon" surprises!
Ryn.