Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[KnobbyOaks]

Got my first egg!!! And today I got another one!! The whole flock is 20 weeks old and my one and only little white silkie hen led the way! Now I am waiting for all the big girls to follow her example...

Here is the silly story about how I even found the first egg:
Spent a couple hours outside today, letting everyone have some supervised free-ranging... decided to add another roost to the coop as all these new babies I have will need some roosting space eventually. So, I cleaned out the coop pretty good and added a roost. I scooped up all the old shavings out of the nesting boxes, etc. and THREW it all onto the ground, then KICKED it all around the run to add to the deep litter. Then I walked around to grab my hammer and there by the food dish was a little creamy white egg. It had come out with all the bedding I had thrown out and rolled right there. I have no idea what box it was in, or how long it's even been in there!! I have checked every day and never saw it! I put it in the shavings to see how I would miss it and sure enough, it completely disappeared - it was definitely camouflaged. Now I have to be a little more diligent about looking for the eggs.

Here it is next to a store-bought brown egg

Congrats on the first egg. Imagine when that little silkie (aren't they known for being broody?) goes back to search for her little beginning clutch that she thought she had cleverly hidden.

 

[LoveChickens123]

How many hours of sunlight are they getting? My research indicates they need at least 14 hours. This comes from someone who is a newbie and still waiting for my 1st egg. So, in other words, my opinion is worth what it cost you.

we only get 12-13 sunlight hours a day and still we had that time change still no eggs this is there 5th day with no eggs!!!!!!!!!!!! slackers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[debbie_nibbles]

Oh don't worry, I don't have delicate eyes to say the least, worked at the racetrack for 15 years!  I did that because of BIG BRother.... I actually got reprimanded for posting a cartoon, ( that was hysterical by the way), that had the _astard in it!  So now, I'm nervous about any language I use.  Imagine the detox if I got banned I would go through.  I would need the Betty Ford clinic to wean off of BYC!

Crazy busy last few days.... will post to everyone later!

MB

that's soooooo funny my kids were pretty much born at the racetrack. Hobby stock for 10 years

 

[Happy Aggie]

First egg!!! Whoop!!

 

[Spikes Chooks]

Wow, so much happens in a day - eggs for KnobbyOaks, debbie_nibbles, Chicken face, Countrygirl74 and Happy Aggie!!!

They sure do taste like the best ever eggs, so superior to store-bought. Well done all those chickens out there that are finally getting the right idea.

Wow! What a cool lizard! Glad I don't have to worry about keeping those out of our coop. So now I'm kind of curious. What sorts of predators do you have to deal with on a regular basis in Australia?

The worst would be foxes, which idiots brought over to Australia in the 19th century - so they could go fox-hunting. GRRRR!!!!! They are a declared noxious pest and wreck havoc to native wildlife, farm stock and chickens, even in suburban back yards. There are lizards like the Lace Monitor, and the Goannas that get really big and they can be troublesome, also hawks from above. There is a native quoll, kind of like a possum, which is carnivorous and will eat birds as well as eggs but that is not so common in our area. Then there's a python that will take both but generally turns into an egg thief. Friends a few miles away had a python that just helped itself to the eggs every few days, until they found a way to keep it out. And, of course, neighbours have dogs and they can be a problem.

Even though we are in the suburbs we see a lot of wildlife from the national park just one street away, so we built a fully enclosed run and coop. Snake and mice proof wire goes under the sand floor, up all sides and the roof except where it is corrugated iron or timber. It was the most expensive part of the build, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I figure.

MB - that is the most beautiful building, I so hope you find someone who can move it for you. I love it!!!

Well done, everyone for the eggs that are starting to arrive.

Katrina

 

[jyurina]

I need ideas! I finally moved the chickens into our backyard shed. They love to sleep in there and really like that the dogs can't come and snitch their veggies treats but despite numerous nest boxes and a much more secure area little Hermia is having NONE of it. She resolutely goes back every day to the old copp and screams bloody murder until someone opens it so she can lay an egg in there. I really need to take it down because some serious storm damage is making it not the sturdiest enclosure. Anyway, I want to stress her as little as possible especially since she is my only layer right now. Any ideas? I even sprinkled the same lavendar into the new boxes hoping that the similar smell would encourage her. But no. It doesn't help that she is the worlds most stubborn Bantam.

 

[countrygirl74]

First egg!!! Whoop!!

Yay!!! Congrats! do you know who laid it and how old she is?

 

[KnobbyOaks]

First egg!!! Whoop!!

Congratulations, many first eggs today.

 

[Crafty chick]

So happy for everyone today. Must have been the moon last night! Mine only gave me 2, maybe tomorrow they will kick it in gear

 

[Melabella]

Oh my heck.... SO much great news today! I have been away from the computer all day, it's so nice to see the great news!

WHOOP WHOOP!! Got our 1st egg today!!!

Fried it. The white was so creamy. So much flavor!! It was interesting to see how the yolk and the white stood up tall in the pan. What a difference! .

WOOOO! Got to get out the ol.....

!!!! So wonderful isn't it? Any idea who laid it? I have to give you credit, it took me days to get up the nerve to eat my egg.. we all stood around and stared at it for days! They do taste incredible don't they?

Got my first egg!!! And today I got another one!! The whole flock is 20 weeks old and my one and only little white silkie hen led the way! Now I am waiting for all the big girls to follow her example...

Here is the silly story about how I even found the first egg:
Spent a couple hours outside today, letting everyone have some supervised free-ranging... decided to add another roost to the coop as all these new babies I have will need some roosting space eventually. So, I cleaned out the coop pretty good and added a roost. I scooped up all the old shavings out of the nesting boxes, etc. and THREW it all onto the ground, then KICKED it all around the run to add to the deep litter. Then I walked around to grab my hammer and there by the food dish was a little creamy white egg. It had come out with all the bedding I had thrown out and rolled right there. I have no idea what box it was in, or how long it's even been in there!! I have checked every day and never saw it! I put it in the shavings to see how I would miss it and sure enough, it completely disappeared - it was definitely camouflaged. Now I have to be a little more diligent about looking for the eggs.

Here it is next to a store-bought brown egg

Hi countrygirl74!!!!! So nice to see you here! on your first egg!!!! I can't believe how funny that story is..can you imagine how much energy we put into getting these eggs,, and you didn't see it,, and threw it out with the soiled bedsheets! LOL...Thank goodness it didn't break! That silkie girl is SO beautiful, what is her name? Please come back often, and keep us posted about when the rest of your flock donates, or to just let us know anything about your girls!

First egg!!! Whoop!!

WAY TO GO AGGIE! Love the color,, so wonderful,,,, do you know who laid it? Super!

that's soooooo funny my kids were pretty much born at the racetrack. Hobby stock for 10 years

What is Hobby stock? Is that stock car racing? The racetrack I worked at was racehorses... in fact... found this picture I thought I had lost years ago,,, if you don't mind, let me bore you guys, hope you don't mind!
This is the summer of 1980! Funnything too... that is my husband on the horse in front of me. I was 20, he was 17! Great stuff!

Wow, so much happens in a day - eggs for KnobbyOaks, debbie_nibbles, Chicken face, Countrygirl74 and Happy Aggie!!!

^ X2!!!!

They sure do taste like the best ever eggs, so superior to store-bought. Well done all those chickens out there that are finally getting the right idea.

The worst would be foxes, which idiots brought over to Australia in the 19th century - so they could go fox-hunting. GRRRR!!!!! They are a declared noxious pest and wreck havoc to native wildlife, farm stock and chickens, even in suburban back yards. There are lizards like the Lace Monitor, and the Goannas that get really big and they can be troublesome, also hawks from above. There is a native quoll, kind of like a possum, which is carnivorous and will eat birds as well as eggs but that is not so common in our area. Then there's a python that will take both but generally turns into an egg thief. Friends a few miles away had a python that just helped itself to the eggs every few days, until they found a way to keep it out. And, of course, neighbours have dogs and they can be a problem.

Even though we are in the suburbs we see a lot of wildlife from the national park just one street away, so we built a fully enclosed run and coop. Snake and mice proof wire goes under the sand floor, up all sides and the roof except where it is corrugated iron or timber. It was the most expensive part of the build, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I figure.

MB - that is the most beautiful building, I so hope you find someone who can move it for you. I love it!!!

Thank you, but it's not a done deal yet,, still trying to find someone with a flatbed to help me move it. It's an hour north from me...I just would LOVE to fix that all up for my second flock... (did I say second flock?)

Well done, everyone for the eggs that are starting to arrive.

Katrina

I need ideas! I finally moved the chickens into our backyard shed. They love to sleep in there and really like that the dogs can't come and snitch their veggies treats but despite numerous nest boxes and a much more secure area little Hermia is having NONE of it. She resolutely goes back every day to the old copp and screams bloody murder until someone opens it so she can lay an egg in there. I really need to take it down because some serious storm damage is making it not the sturdiest enclosure. Anyway, I want to stress her as little as possible especially since she is my only layer right now. Any ideas? I even sprinkled the same lavendar into the new boxes hoping that the similar smell would encourage her. But no. It doesn't help that she is the worlds most stubborn Bantam.

I don't have a whole lot of experience, but when I did move my babies out of their brooder pen that was into my feedroom attached to my horse barn and into their new coop and run, I put them in lockdown for a week. I didn't let them free range at all, only the coop and run so that they were forced to know where home was. They weren't laying yet, so maybe it was a bit easier, but it did finally make them switch and know that was home where they should go home at night. Maybe if she is locked down where her new nest should be for a few days, it might make her switch. That being said,.. my silly flock still used to go over to the closed feed room door and peep to get in there. Wish I had more advice.