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

[Melabella]

Oh I am so excited to have another member here!

to our thread DuckieTam! I am WAY ENVIOUS that you have eggs at 19 weeks, and so many since! Super, and Congrats,, thanks for the pictures! May I ask what breed they are, and also are you using any light supplement?


My girls are 19 weeks today, and we had such a beautiful spring like day today, so I spent all day outside doing chores, getting ready for winter and stringing a few Holiday lights. I had my first hawk attempt yesterday, and about 3:30pm three of them were back, up high in the trees, so I had to put the girls up early instead of letting them make their way at dusk. I hope this isn't a daily thing now. I also took the wire off the nest boxes, cleaned them out, and bedding them down with fresh straw, and put the wooden eggs in... hint, hint ladies!




I was able to get a picture of two of my girls while they visited with me while I was cleaning.

This is Kate, who is one of the girls who has started growing her combs and waddles. They are redding up too.


This is one of my red sex linked girls named Matilda


I think we have a ways to go don't ya think?
SpikesChooks,

Did your girls start doing their egg songs before they actually laid the egg, or did it start with the arrival of their first egg?
Thank you for the info about the squatting. Learning, learning, learning!

I want some eggs!

MB

 

[Melabella]

When my two oldest (now laying) first started they do check out the nesting boxes first!!! they will lay in them and one of mine even did the egg song after she was done checking it out then a few days later she layed her first egg!!! the 2nd one just checked out the boxes with no egg song

You just answered my question CD,,

THanks for this, missed it before!

MB

 

[Spikes Chooks]

Matilda looks close to laying, to me. I'm sure no expert. Love those beady eyes! She looks a little like my Ladybird, though she is a darker red than that.

The other thing I am learning is that they don't lay at the same time each day - I think I saw somewhere that they often lay about 25 hours apart. Ladybird is getting later each day. This morning's egg was laid about 10.30am. Each is getting a little darker as well. Barnie continues to go into the nesting box, make a little egg song, then come out again. I guess like many things it will vary depending on the personality. I am hoping Sylvia our Silver Campine doens't have too vigorous an egg song - she screeches loudly whenever she sees me and off and on through the morning till I let them out to free range about 2pm. And it's a real screech, not a pleasant sound at all. I guess that's her point! Chickens make me laugh.

 

[CatSol]

Thanks Spikes Chooks. Now I know what to look forward to later. I had looked around on the different postings and had not seen a description. I think it may be a while before there are eggs. I am not worried about it now. I made a mistake when I designed my Avery. I did nice solid walls and sides. Chicken wire over the top where there was not shade... but the door was a weak point. It was only chicken wire. Tonight I lost two of my chickens. A dog or coyote got into the run and killed them. I also have a very badly injured turkey hen that I am not sure will make it but I have to give her the chance. My lovely Sylvia was named partly for her color and partly named after one of my Mother's cousins. She is now gone as well as my alpha hen that was a Rhode Island Red. I had not named her yet... I just came in from burring them.
I don't want to get everyone down but when we raise our first batch of chicks and see them run to us for treats... We know they will not live forever but to see them go like this... I will look forward to eggs.... but later.


my largest ... I thought she would have been the first to lay...


Sylvia.... this is a week or so ago... she did look lighter then this...

 

[nova022]

Thanks Spikes Chooks. Now I know what to look forward to later. I had looked around on the different postings and had not seen a description. I think it may be a while before there are eggs. I am not worried about it now. I made a mistake when I designed my Avery. I did nice solid walls and sides. Chicken wire over the top where there was not shade... but the door was a weak point. It was only chicken wire. Tonight I lost two of my chickens. A dog or coyote got into the run and killed them. I also have a very badly injured turkey hen that I am not sure will make it but I have to give her the chance. My lovely Sylvia was named partly for her color and partly named after one of my Mother's cousins. She is now gone as well as my alpha hen that was a Rhode Island Red. I had not named her yet... I just came in from burring them.
I don't want to get everyone down but when we raise our first batch of chicks and see them run to us for treats... We know they will not live forever but to see them go like this... I will look forward to eggs.... but later.


my largest ... I thought she would have been the first to lay...


Sylvia.... this is a week or so ago... she did look lighter then this...

I am very sorry to for your loss and the injury to your turkey. How heart breaking.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

I'm so very sorry to hear about this, how absolutely nightmarish for you. My thoughts are with you.

 

[Crafty-Duck]

So sorry!!!! I'm so glad I live in an area where I don't have to worry a whole lot about predators.

 

[CatSol]

Thanks everyone. I knew you would understand. This area is not all that bad.... we are a small farming community very close to a good sized city. There are lots of people that were surprised I am so close to work but can have so many animals. But unfortunately people also think this is a great place to abandon dogs. I really think that it was a dog last night. I have been hearing coyotes for a long time but I think they would have stopped to eat... not just keep killing.
We were very lucky that I heard anything last night. I could have lost more of my birds. The turkey hen looks like she might make it... The rest of my girls look like they are not to traumatized. I will work on a new door today. And next week I can start to get excited about eggs again.
Thanks again everyone...

 

[CatSol]

Update: the turkey hen I have inside looks like she may do OK. I fixed the door to the Avery. The dog found another way in.... I only have 2 Americanas left. I will bring them inside tonight and will do so until I am sure I have a safe pen and that dog is caught. I will start all over again with new chicks. But I do have my Americanas and I will love their beautiful eggs. I will let you know when they lay. I am guessing if it will take longer since they have been traumatized.

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Dogs

I'm a cat person well chicken person!!!!