Egg in the water pan!

[Kfults]

I have 11 pullets and two have been laying daily in the nesting boxes, few more have developed red combs and should lay any day..... so yesterday afternoon I went to change out their water in the heat of the day and found a tiny white egg in their shallow wading dish..... as if the pullet didn’t realize she was about to lay an egg while cooling her feet off in the water I cracked it and it had a yolk- fed it back to them since it was contaminated *yuck*
They have all been checking out the nesting boxes so I am hoping today she will take her sisters example and lay in the nesting box!
I am keeping an eye on my camera in the coup to see who my new layer will be
My 5 mo old cockerel has been so gentle with the girls, he only has mated with the pullets at POL, he mates with my RIR and she started laying within a week. Next was The Plymouth Rock and she laid next. He seems to know when they reach maturity... he has started mating with my other Plymouth rocks and some of my little golden sex links. He isn’t interested in the others. If they reject him he doesn’t force them. I have gotten lucky!!! I know he has nothing to do with when they lay but find it interesting that he seems to “ know “ they are reaching POL!
I looked all over their run and coup and fenced free range area for anymore stray eggs but didn’t find any. Waiting is so hard!!

 

[Kfults]

Well today she figured out how to sit in a nest like the big girls! Tiny white egg in nest waiting for me!

 

[nchls school]

Yes, waiting is hard. I waited months for my white Yokohama to lay. Just when she was about ready the rooster died. Now there will be more waiting.

 

[aart]

Well today she figured out how to sit in a nest like the big girls! Tiny white egg in nest waiting for me!

Must be that first one sneaked out....it can happen.

Yes, waiting is hard. I waited months for my white Yokohama to lay. Just when she was about ready the rooster died. Now there will be more waiting.

The presence of a male bird does not have much to do with when a female lays,
just whether eggs will be fertile or not.

 

[Kfults]

Must be that first one sneaked out....it can happen.

The presence of a male bird does not have much to do with when a female lays,
just whether eggs will be fertile or not.

Well, that pullet has gotten the hang of laying and I am finding her white egg in the nest each day...... tonight ( later than usual) I locked their run door and right by the water pan was a broken white soft shell egg. Another surprise! I have read on BYC that a new layer can have a soft shell egg in the beginning. I had my usual 3 eggs in the nest so this is a brand new layer!! So will be expecting a new layer in the nesting box!!! They get flock raiser and oyster shell on side with ground up egg shells sprinkled on top!

 

[aart]

Are they eating the shells?
Sprinkle some around on the ground and/or on top of feed...just to get them used to eating them.

Here's how to tell.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/