;aying first eggs and intro to nesting box

[kremrose]

Hello All:

For the sake of sounding stupid, let me start by saying chickens and ducks are new to us and we are loving every minute of them! I have 2 barred rocks (thought were both females low and behold he crows!) 2 rhode island reds and a welsummer rooster. The last 2 mornings I have found an egg in their coop. Have no idea who is laying it, are they not sitting on the eggs because we havent installed the nesting box? Or because they have no idea what to do, if its the later how do I help them? Other than the obvious of getting them nesting boxes. Do I need to change their feed?

Now that we have eggs, do I collect them and refrigerate immediately for safe consumption? We will eat the eggs but are not ready for the chickens or the ducks to have babies. Yes, I found our first duck egg yesterday as well, right along the pond. Our ducks are no longer housed with the chickens, largely in part because they wont come off the water. So we are builing a floating house for them until fall, then we will figure something else out.

Last question, 2 roosters 3 hens, can I keep both roosters? All are about 22 weeks old and started out together with the exception of the welsummer that we added a month ago thinking we didnt have a rooster and we wanted one to help take care of the girls.

Any suggestions or tips as always will be greatly appreciated. I love how helpful this group is at sharing the knowledge of those that come before us newbies!!!


Thank you,
Kelly

P.s I have added a photo of my welsummer, I love his coloring but I have no idea where the white feathers are coming from?

 

[keesmom]

Well, first thing. Two cockerels and only 3 pullets most likely won't be a great situation for the females. They will likely wind up overbred and unhappy. If you have chickens for eggs, you may want to consider rehoming or culling one or even both males.

Now as to why you want to know why they aren't sitting on their eggs. Sitting on eggs indicates that a pullet or hen has gone broody. That means they want to hatch the eggs. It also means they will quit laying. It is something that is unlikely to occur in a new layer, and something I assume you don't want to happen if you want eggs.

As long as you collect eggs daily none will develop.

 

[aart]

The white feathers in front of tail are normal.

 

[dandan111]

I would put the hens on a layer crumble feed and get rid of the roosters.
Put up a nest box or old crate or something for them to lay in. The eggs will be
Cleaner. Getting the perfect spot for the nest box may take some experimenting.