Egg laying

[Briannafaith]

My chickens are about to turn 23 weeks old. They are Indian red jungle fowl. I am curious to know if and when they’ll lay eggs soon. We just got our nesting box in the new coop. I’m new to chickens and excited to see my hens’ first eggs! They matured right at the beginning of fall.

 

[lori_smith99]

Waiting on my girls that just turned 23 wks too. I figure it will be spring before they pay their rent...little free loaders LOL

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's the lack of light.

 

[aart]

Ok, thank you! I checked this morning and she didn’t lay another. Is that normal?

Yes, normal.
They can be sporadic at first and lay any time of day or night......just be patient

 

[jreardon1918]

We supplement light in the mornings to get the girls to to lay in the winter. We wait until after the fall molt. Then start our lighting program. The lights are on a timer. They are old Christmas icicle lights. They shine in the open windows which face east. My not well thought out theory is that it simulates sunrise. We will start lighting in a few weeks. We will set the timer to come on an hour before sunrise. Then we will set the timer to come on a few minutes earlier each day. Hopefully by Feb 1, all the girls will be back laying.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I do have a light in there. Do I need to leave it on after daylight ends to encourage laying?

Set the light on a timer, hens require 12 - 14 hrs of sunlight.

 

[Briannafaith]

Does it have a back piece of wood for privacy? Also, nesting materials?

No back piece yet. I’m going to add it today. I wasn’t expecting her to lay so soon but I’m not complaining

 

[aart]

This is my nesting box used from scrap wood. I plan to put a back on it that opens for easy egg collecting and added nesting material a few days ago. Is it too small?

Not too small, but maybe too high up, best to have nests lower than the roosts.
The ladder shown looks pretty unusable, better to have a perch about 6-8" in front of nests.

Can I use her egg she just laid? It’s small so we probably won’t eat it but it was still so exciting!

Better to use fake eggs......not too small to eat, just need more to add to it.

 

[aart]

I have it exactly 18 inches above the coop floor. Maybe 12 inches instead?

Depends on how high your roosts are....roosts just need to be higher than nests.
(thought I saw a roost in pic at same level, but now not sure)

How long do I have to collect eggs and refrigerate to eat?

I don't like to leave egg in nest overnight.
I do not refrigerate eggs.....that's a whole other discussion.

 

[Briannafaith]

Doesn't seem that small and it's perfectly edible, so I see no reason to waste it (eggs left in a nest box can possibly be broken, eaten by the chickens or pests, etc. - so best to use fakes to lure layers into using a box).

Ok, thank you! I checked this morning and she didn’t lay another. Is that normal?