I have an Easter Egger that laid her first pretty blue egg about 3 weeks ago. Two days later I got another one. Then a week later one more. Then last week one more. Then nothing. Is that normal? I am wondering if it is stuck or something? Is a week or more in between eggs normal? I know it has to do with the light outside and it has been getting dark at 5:30 and then staying dark until about 7. But, I just thought I would see a few more. I just want to make sure she is OK. I'm OK with one egg a week - just making sure she is OK. I also have a Barred Rock that is the same age and she has laid an egg every single day since she started 2 months ago! Champ!
just for comparison. My ee started laying about 3 weeks ago and has laid a pretty green egg every other day since. we live in South Texas, so we probably have more daylight than some areas. I am still looking into some supplemental light in the coop, however.
You didn't mention that she was having any symptoms of illness, so I'll guess it's just her way, perhaps influenced by shorter days, cooler weather, etc. They lay when they lay.
One thing that I have read on the boards is that pullets do not need additional light, it won't make any difference in what they will lay/not lay their first winter. I'm not sure if this is correct or not. Last week I had an egg bound pullet and it was obvious to me that she was having a problem. Of course this is my first experience with an egg bound girl. She was a bit "hunched" not acting like any of her coop mates. I have 16 pullets all the same age and get anything between 3 - 7 eggs per day since they started laying. Some lay on a regular basis, some go a few days in between. I'm just letting it continue and enjoy what I find each day. Two of my 16 are EE's and I have not seen a colored egg yet.
Sporadic egg laying in a new layer is normal. You said she laid her first egg three weeks ago, so I wouldn't be worried about it unless she is showing signs of being egg bound.
Thanks everyone.....so just out of curiosity - what are the signs of being egg bound and how do you fix it?
If you do a search on "eggbound" I am sure you will find a lot of information. One note on what I was told on Ameraucana's. When I got mine the lady explained that they are not the best layers through winter. If your EE is an Ameraucana cross, she might not lay steadily until spring. I do have to comment though that the two Ameraucana pullets that I have started laying a couple of weeks ago and they have been pretty steady layers. I don't get an egg every day but at least every other day so please look up the symptoms of eggbound. She is probably fine but it is better to have the knowledge.
