Egg Song but no egg?

[liljenjennc]

I have 11 pullets that are all between the ages of 19 and 21 weeks. And I have been trying to be as patient as possible as I wait for my first egg.. I have been watching one pullet in particular for the past few weeks as she has started doing the 'squat' and her wattles and comb have gotten very large and reddened up. I've also seen her checking out the nest boxes a lot. Well yesterday afternoon I was outside when I heard the egg song coming from the coop! I immediately ran down to see and about the time I got there I saw the girl I've been watching jump down from a nest box and come out of the coop. I was SO SURE there would be an egg! I looked all over and found nothing??? Is this common? Do pullets sometimes sing almost like they're practicing?? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[7 Biddies]

I have 11 pullets that are all between the ages of 19 and 21 weeks. And I have been trying to be as patient as possible as I wait for my first egg.. I have been watching one pullet in particular for the past few weeks as she has started doing the 'squat' and her wattles and comb have gotten very large and reddened up. I've also seen her checking out the nest boxes a lot. Well yesterday afternoon I was outside when I heard the egg song coming from the coop! I immediately ran down to see and about the time I got there I saw the girl I've been watching jump down from a nest box and come out of the coop. I was SO SURE there would be an egg! I looked all over and found nothing??? Is this common? Do pullets sometimes sing almost like they're practicing?? Thanks in advance for any advice!

She's just getting ready and, as you said, practicing. Any time now!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The "egg" song is also often used as the "where are you" call when one bird has become separated from the flock (it is commonly heard at the time of laying, resulting in it being called the "egg" song, because the hen in question has secluded herself in the nest and the rest of the flock is often outside/elsewhere when she has finished what she is doing and leaves the nest to a moment of "where did everyone go?")

 

[JSossong]

What is this "egg song"?

 

[liljenjennc]

Ok Thanks for the replies! The other chickens were within her sight when she started singing so I'm really hoping that she was practicing for the big moment and that it is coming soon!

My girls are quite spoiled and I spend more time with them than is probably normal, lol, and it was the first time I'd heard it.

Look up egg song on youtube. There are lots of videos of it and they all sound pretty similar so that's why I thought the big moment had arrived! I'll be getting lots of exercise running back and forth while they're doing this practicing!

 

[JSossong]

@liljenjennc okay thanks!

I just got my first egg 4 days ago! I was so surprised because I thought it was still so early! But in the says that followed I was (and still am) checking the coop constantly lol. I think my girls are getting sick of me popping my head in checking for more eggs. Such an exciting time, I hope you get eggs soon! Good luck!

 

[Blooie]

Consider it a dress rehearsal.

 

[liljenjennc]

Now I have 3 girls who have sang the song but still no egg... I'm convinced they are doing it just to get me to run out there hoping I'll bring some treats. Lol

 

[krista74]

I have 6 girls, all of whom started laying about 2 months or so ago. The memory of waiting for that first egg is still as vivid as it ever was!

Several times I heard the Egg Song, and ran with my egg-collecting bucket in hand down to the coop to collect my prize. Every time a was rewarded with an empty nest box!

Then one day, when I went to clean the coop, I casually looked into a nest box and there it was: The First Egg! The shock of actually seeing something IN the nest nearly knocked me over!

I remember going down to the coop and trying to bribe the girls - cracked corn, bread, and other little treats on the promise that "There would be more to come" if they just laid me an egg.

That progressed to talk about how much "Momma loves 6-egg omelettes" and would be "So happy to have a 6-egg omelette for breakfast tomorrow" (aka: Begging)

Finally, there was the "If you free-loaders don't give me a darn egg you'll be soup tomorrow!" (Threats!)

None of it worked. They just laid in their own good time.

Enjoy your first egg. It WILL come.......eventually.......Krista

 

[7 Biddies]

I have 6 girls, all of whom started laying about 2 months or so ago. The memory of waiting for that first egg is still as vivid as it ever was!

Several times I heard the Egg Song, and ran with my egg-collecting bucket in hand down to the coop to collect my prize. Every time a was rewarded with an empty nest box!

Then one day, when I went to clean the coop, I casually looked into a nest box and there it was: The First Egg! The shock of actually seeing something IN the nest nearly knocked me over!

I remember going down to the coop and trying to bribe the girls - cracked corn, bread, and other little treats on the promise that "There would be more to come" if they just laid me an egg.

That progressed to talk about how much "Momma loves 6-egg omelettes" and would be "So happy to have a 6-egg omelette for breakfast tomorrow" (aka: Begging)

Finally, there was the "If you free-loaders don't give me a darn egg you'll be soup tomorrow!" (Threats!)

None of it worked. They just laid in their own good time.

Enjoy your first egg. It WILL come.......eventually.......Krista

Ah, yes, I remember it well. I'm on my second flock and find it's like having the second child; not only haven't I been anxiously await the first egg, but I completely overlooked the fact that 3 of the 7 have developed wattles, red faces, and combs. One even squatted when I attempted to shoo her into the coop for the night. Any day now!!

ETA: Also, it's a case of be careful what you wish for. One day, soon, you'll have eggs piled up in your fridge and wondering what to do with all of them.