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

[darajosami]

I will join. I am not sure what Im looking for exactly. I have 10 brown leghorn bantams and a rooster.

 

[Melabella]

I will join. I am not sure what Im looking for exactly. I have 10 brown leghorn bantams and a rooster.

WOW.. Beautiful beautiful birds! They look like they are getting darn near ready to me! Is the rooster mounting them yet? Must be with those red combs. How old are they? Do you have nest boxes set up yet? Keep us posted!

MB

 

[darajosami]

So I got my first egg today

The only problem is that it was obviously laid on there roosting area

So I have put a golf ball in the nesting boxes so hopefully that will give them the hint, if not I will put one of there freshly laid eggs in them

 

[Melabella]

So I got my first egg today

The only problem is that it was obviously laid on there roosting area

So I have put a golf ball in the nesting boxes so hopefully that will give them the hint, if not I will put one of there freshly laid eggs in them

Congratulations!!! Looks like the shell was a typical first few egg types and perhaps was a bit soft., or maybe it just looks that way because it's broken. So sorry about that! Be cautious of using real eggs to teach them in the nest boxes. While they are getting the idea down, they peck, roll, push around and out, and pecked again at those fake eggs and golf balls. I would hate for the real egg to break, and before you know it, a young pullet gets a taste of that delicious egg, and the rest is history. You don't want to create that bad habit and develop an egg eater! I bought a dozen wooden fake eggs from the craft store and let my daughter have fun painting them what ever color she pleased and put them in there. I swear it entertained the girls and they were quite interested in them. The other day I was trying to carry too many eggs in my hand because I had forgotten the egg collecting basket on the kitchen counter and sure enough one egg splat right on to the floor of the run. The flock pounced on that egg like a scene in Jurassic Park... it was a total feeding frenzy!

Good Luck, and don't worry, your girls will get the hang of it!

MB

 

[darajosami]

Congratulations!!! Looks like the shell was a typical first few egg types and perhaps was a bit soft., or maybe it just looks that way because it's broken. So sorry about that! Be cautious of using real eggs to teach them in the nest boxes. While they are getting the idea down, they peck, roll, push around and out, and pecked again at those fake eggs and golf balls. I would hate for the real egg to break, and before you know it, a young pullet gets a taste of that delicious egg, and the rest is history. You don't want to create that bad habit and develop an egg eater! I bought a dozen wooden fake eggs from the craft store and let my daughter have fun painting them what ever color she pleased and put them in there. I swear it entertained the girls and they were quite interested in them. The other day I was trying to carry too many eggs in my hand because I had forgotten the egg collecting basket on the kitchen counter and sure enough one egg splat right on to the floor of the run. The flock pounced on that egg like a scene in Jurassic Park... it was a total feeding frenzy!

Good Luck, and don't worry, your girls will get the hang of it!

MB

So do you mean to be careful of the fake eggs/golf balls? Sorry I am not quite following what you are saying

 

[Melabella]

No, I was just am saying id be careful if using real eggs. They could easily break while the young pullets are learning and promote egg eating. It's an easy habit to get into!

My oldest son is in Australia right now! He's on the SouthEast coast, in Scone. Welcome to the thread!!

MB

 

[darajosami]

No, I was just am saying id be careful if using real eggs. They could easily break while the young pullets are learning and promote egg eating. It's an easy habit to get into!

My oldest son is in Australia right now! He's on the SouthEast coast, in Scone. Welcome to the thread!!

MB

ok thanks, hubby is getting me one more golf ball, or should I have more then one in each nesting box?

 

[CatSol]

darajosami your chickens are beautiful and that rooster is stunning. Wow.... I have been lucky that most of my girls lay in the boxes. I have had a few accidents but it seems that they just misjudged how long they had and never made a habit of it. I would think put a ball or two in each box.... so they know they can lay in any box. I have four boxes and it is funny that they will all want to use one box.... sometimes Chickens can be so funny

 

[Melabella]

One should be ok. I out two in each of mine

MB

ok thanks, hubby is getting me one more golf ball, or should I have more then one in each nesting box?

 

[Sadh]

Hi all,
My daughter and I have 4 chickens.
One of them laid her first egg over last weekend. Here is a picture. Found it on the floor of the coop.. not in the nesting boxes where i expressly told them to lay.

Not sure which of my girls laid it, but i think it might be my largest hen. Every time i pet her back she crouches down which i read means she is thinking about laying eggs But that said the personalities of the chickens has really changed over the last week so its hard to tell for sure.

A few days later we found a second one. Maybe a tiny bit larger.. also on the floor of the coop.
I put a golf ball in one of the nesting boxes, but I'm starting to worry that my coop set up maybe isn't meeting the flocks impeccably high standards. No one is roosting or going into the boxes (but that might be a conversation for a different thread).

I thought that there was a egg laying pattern of about an egg every other day.. but then haven't seen anything since the last egg.. maybe 3 days or so.

Just looking for any thoughts, advice, or commentary on what to expect and maybe what to do about the nesting boxes and roosting.
All four of the girls are about 17wks old.