Finally got an egg. Now what

[chantelbedlington]

At 28 weeks my first hen finally laid an egg. They are all the same age and I expect the others to follow suit soon. At what point do I switch them to layer feed?

Also, while I've made the nesting boxes soft with straw, and placed ceramic eggs, she laid outside on the dirt... All of the girls have been spending time in the nest boxes each morning, but she didn't lay there. Suggestions please.

 

[nuthatched]

She probably laid it in the box but it stuck to her fluff. Or she laid it outside, she doesn't know what to do yet. Try game bird layer or half grower half layer layer feed has poor protein.

 

[AnnPann]

congrats! mine laid on the ground the first few times. she eventually figured it out and started laying in the nesting box.

 

[knoturavggrl]

At 28 weeks my first hen finally laid an egg. They are all the same age and I expect the others to follow suit soon. At what point do I switch them to layer feed?

Also, while I've made the nesting boxes soft with straw, and placed ceramic eggs, she laid outside on the dirt... All of the girls have been spending time in the nest boxes each morning, but she didn't lay there. Suggestions please.

I would switch them now but not to layer feed. I would recommend All flock (it has great protein percentages usually 20%) and then offer oyster shell for their calcium needs. This sounds like a bit of a pain but oyster shell is inexpensive and they dont consume alot of it one bag could last you a year or more. Plus when they are molting or slowing down laying in the winter you dont have change anything at all. The chickens will adjust their calcium intake as they need to. I don't like to have to fuss over it so this works well for me, just my two cents.

New layers are like people who just started a new job. They aren’t good at it yet lol. Expect weirdness for awhile. Odd sized or shaped eggs, laying in odd places stepping on them are all normal new layer issues. Your doing great by having the fake eggs in there. Id say just let them work out the kinks and accept the errors for now since they are new to the job

Also congratulations on your first egg it’s exciting to finally get one!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

while I've made the nesting boxes soft with straw, and placed ceramic eggs, she laid outside on the dirt... All of the girls have been spending time in the nest boxes each morning, but she didn't lay there. Suggestions please.

My suggestion. Patience. Some pullets understand the egg is coming and are prepared to lay it in a nest. The first egg surprises some and they drop it wherever they are. Usually they gain control in a few days and you start seeing the eggs in a nest. If you see the egg in the same spot every day she has decided that that is her nest. If that happens come back and let us know. But as long as it is on random spots see if she can figure it out on her own.