Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh-it happened!!!

[trilyn]

Oh my gosh! I went out to the coop this afternoon to say hello to the girls and just happened to peek into the nest boxes for the heck of it. An egg!! I couldn't call my husband fast enough!! He was so sweet, and excited for me. I love that man!

Sorry it's a little blurry-I was so excited I almost dropped the camera!

Here's one of the culprits-they're checking out the dish of oyster shell I brought out for them. They are now exactly 17 weeks to the day, woohooooo-you go big girls!

I still can't believe they used the boxes-sweet! I'm so proud of them!

 

[Whispering Winds]

Congratulations!!! Pretty egg, and don't blame you for being shaky!!! I will be wettin' my BVD's when I see my first egg!!!!!

 

[chickenbottom]

CONGRATS YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY i bet its the one on the far left she looks most mature. 17 weeks i got my first egg at 26 weeks lol

 

[warmfuzzies]

How fun!! Woohoooo!!!

 

[AmyBella]

That is super exciting! My girls (who look a lot like yours!) are getting close. Their combs and wattles are getting redder!

Congrats!

 

[trilyn]

Thank you!! I'd been reading that some started at 17 weeks, but I truly never expected it to happen. We put the nesting boxes in there for "just in case"! It was such an awesome surprise and for it to be so perfect! I was expecting a shell-less egg (sp?) or some other blobby type thing and this was too cool for school! (sorry-lol)

I do think I am going to be swapping out the hay for shavings. It kind of stinks with the poop in the hay and it's only been a week! I noticed a wet spot on the egg with a pattern that had to come from the hay. Bloom or poop, I'm not sure now that I think about it, but anyways. I turned it over for photo purposes lol! Not only that, I do the deep litter method and I don't want all that hay mixed in with the shavings. Do you think it'll mess them up if I swap out the bedding now? Is it okay or am I stuck with the hay?

Ohhh, still can't believe it, I nestled it in a bunch of napkins in a bowl for my hubby to see when he gets home. Then we'll crack it open and have a look and a taste test!!

 

[Count Von Chickula]

Congrats! So what did you do with it? Are you going to, you know, celebrate at breakfast tomorrow?

Are those Golden Comets? We have 16 pullets now... Golden Comets, Light Brahma, and Barred rock.

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
Well, I want to look at it for a while....then heck yeah-we're eating it! They are comets in that pic, I also have rhode island reds, polish, ee's and a turken for good measure!

 

[Count Von Chickula]

p.s...

Wood shavings works great and it won't mess up the birds or anything. I'm wrestling with changing to something that I can reuse in the back yard as fertilizer. My problem with wood shavings is that they don't breakdown very fast. In the past I'ved used hay, straw, and even dried leaves. I'm leaning toward raking up dry lawn clippings and using them. Chopped dried hay the birds love to scrach around in. Maybe that will give you some ideas.

 

[2DogsFarm]

Me too!
Look at all the First Egg posts on here - must be the time of year!

I've decided to hold on to my 1st and see if I get more by the weekend - then have myself a teeny little Over Easy celebration