AAHHHHHHH! THE FIRST EGG FINALLY!

[dai2dao996]

Night vision

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

How exciting! I look forward to getting our first egg(s)! They should be old enough to start laying in late October, I think. You say it was your hen Ebony that laid it. that brings a question to mind.
If no one is there to see which hen is in the nesting box and you have multiple hens- how can one tell which hen laid it ( or them as I have nineteen)?

You can check for physical signs ( red comb and wattles, large pelvic gap {whatever it’s called}, etc.) and you can also you the breed/s as a starting point. A blue egg wouldn’t be layed by a white egg laying breed, and a white egg wouldn’t be layed by a brown egg laying breed.

 

[CoffeeHen]

I have a chicken cam. Lol

How clandestine!

 

[CoffeeHen]

You can check for physical signs ( red comb and wattles, large pelvic gap {whatever it’s called}, etc.) and you can also you the breed/s as a starting point. A blue egg wouldn’t be layed by a white egg laying breed, and a white egg wouldn’t be layed by a brown egg laying breed.

Ahhh! That’s right- the breed. I do have a breed egg color chart. All mine are brown layers. I’ll need to review that. Not being a poultry gyn, I will leave the pelvic to God & Mother Nature! LOL!

 

[B40chick]

Right now, I have two 21 week old barnyard mix Leghorns laying. There is another Leghorn that has not started yet. Neither has my Light Brahma.
I got 5 Bovan Browns from a commercial operation that are supposed to be a year old. They have started looking better and have adjusted to the move well. Two of them have started laying again in the last few days.

 

[dai2dao996]

Right now, I have two 21 week old barnyard mix Leghorns laying. There is another Leghorn that has not started yet. Neither has my Light Brahma.
I got 5 Bovan Browns from a commercial operation that are supposed to be a year old. They have started looking better and have adjusted to the move well. Two of them have started laying again in the last few days.

My light Brahma started at 24 weeks old.

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

I was reading through this thread and YES, layer feed will hurt the non-laying chickens. Layer feed should only be given to chickens that are actively laying. I would hold off on the layer feed completely until they are all laying, but since you have a cockerel you might never be able to feed layer feed. The excess calcium is horrible for their kidneys and such. If you only feed pullets close-ish to laying eggs layer feed for a few weeks, it would probably not hurt them. A cockerel however, would have the highest chance of getting kidney failure or something else along those lines.

I would just feed flock raiser or all flock to everyone, and you can start now, with a little thing of oyster shells or crushed up eggshells on the side.

The cockerel won’t be on it for long, I have to rehome him because I am not allowed to keep him.

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

How exciting! I look forward to getting our first egg(s)! They should be old enough to start laying in late October, I think. You say it was your hen Ebony that laid it. that brings a question to mind.
If no one is there to see which hen is in the nesting box and you have multiple hens- how can one tell which hen laid it ( or them as I have nineteen)?

I have three other chickens, one is a Cockerell so we unfortunately have to rehome him, and the other two have no comb development whatsoever... they are still tiny and growing and don’t seem remotely ready to lay yet. Ebony has a tiny comb and little waddles and she’s been squatting for a week or so she’s also been checking out the nesting boxes. It was definitely her. The egg also matches with her breed would lay.

I think the other two pullets I have will also like cream white or tinted eggs, but in the spring I’m gonna get some more bantams that Lay blue or brown eggs like Ameraucaunas and Australorps.

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

Oh and an update, the egg had such a strong shell and when I cracked it open the yolk was so vibrant orange… It was so delicious and rich! The best egg I’ve ever had… I’m hoping for another one in the next week or so ...

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

We got another one this afternoon! I am very impressed since she’s just starting up and silkies don’t lay very often!