I have been watching all the wonderful first egg posts and it has been so hard to wait. I knew several of my girls were getting ready, squatting for me, redder combs and they have been checking out the nest boxes. I have been following them around like CRAZY-WOMAN making sure they didn't lay in the bushes. Yesterday morning I left them in the run because I had to know, alas no eggs. This morning I go out pleanty early, let them into the run and when I check out inside the house I find two eggs laid from the roost and broken! I have been dreaming of blowing out the first egg and keeping it on the shelf! I am so upset (slightly happy they are laying, but I sorta knew that egg laying was inevitable). I sure hope it was a first-timers accident. I really can't believe how emotional I got over this. Even my Mom was really upset when I told her. I left the hens inside till about 10:30, then it was just too blasted hot even in the run and I let them go to out under the oak trees. I caught one of my hens several times checking out the nest boxes, I even have one outside of the run, but no more eggs today. I sure hope tomorrow brings a better day egg-wise.
Oh my goodness that is a sad sight! But tomorrow will be better! I've read on here that some first eggs don't have shells, so at least your babies have got that part down.
It almost looks like that first egg has a thin shell which may have led to the easily broke on the floor thing. That's too bad. I do see a mighty orange yolk though! Must be happy hens!
Thank-you both, I went and put down a thicker layer of straw for cushion under the roosts, the straw is on top of the nest boxes so it isn't all the way to the floor that the eggs would fall. I will also go out earlier than normal and get them off the roosts and onto the floor of the house. I sure hope I have good news tomorrow!
That is just heartbreaking. You wait all that time and then that happens. :aww I think I would have just about cried.
Hang in there. There will be many more beautiful orange yolk eggs to come! Keep your camera ready to show us the next batch of beauties!e
I am so sorry too... that is so sad!!! I agree with silkie, it looks like the shells were thin... You might want to start feeding them egg shells or even oyster shells. I read on a post that someone was taking the shells from the eggs that they eat... put them in the microwave for 15 seconds to kill anything that might be on them... and then crush them up, let them cool and throw them out for your hens to eat... I started doing this with mine when they were about 14 weeks or so... my first egg was nice and thick and beautiful eventhough it was tiny. Unfortunatly that has been my only egg... uggg. Anyways, you might want to try that... Good Luck Tes
Even when they are eating calcium like candy when they lay the first egg, sometimes the first few eggs are still not exactly right. It's just a young lady's system gearing up for real production. I know how you feel-my very first ever egg a couple of years ago I found in a nest with soft spots all over it and broken to boot.
If you haven't yet, make sure you pull out any broken eggs ASAP before they start eating them. Nothing worse than chickens that start breaking open and eating eggs.
Oh my......I am sorry about your first eggs......I am waiting on my first eggs.... I will be so happy......I am planning to do the same.......blow it out and save it. All the older ladies at church are looking forward to some fresh eggs like they had as kids. I can't wait to be able to take my basket down to gather eggs!