Behavior after first egg

[quartzl1968]

Hi there, I'm new with chickens and my Rhode Island Red just laid her first egg. I took the egg from the nest and she seems very upset. She is sitting on the nest (I put another store bought egg in the nest). Is this a brooding behavior? Is she acting "normal?" Just wondering... Thanks for any advice.

 

[Happy Chooks]

She's probably just resting. Some hens don't like to be messed with on the nest. RIR's aren't normally a broody breed. (not saying that it can't happen, but not very likely) If you see her on the nest at night and she stops laying - that's a sign of broodiness.

 

[quartzl1968]

Thank you for your reply. I think I was just anxious as a first time egg collector. As the day went on she returned to the group and has been just fine. Guess she was just excited and tired from laying her first egg. We'll see what she's like tomorrow. Appreciate your input!!

 

[lilywags]

One of my four young hens (hatched late April) has laid her first two eggs, in two days, in the nest box, inside the coop. Yesterday afternoon I kept an eye out trying to discover which hen it was when I noticed two of the hens squabbling about something one was eating. One had it, the other wanted it, etc. After watching for several minutes I suddenly had a hunch, went into the run, and collected the remains of an egg, still very soft-shelled. The hens were by then pecking at the remaining yolk and white. QUESTION: What can I do to discourage laying eggs on the run floor where they'll apparently get eaten...and get whoever it is back up in the coop nest box? And, after eating one egg yesterday are they now going to always want to eat the eggs?