/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Finding the first egg??

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by seafood, Jul 28, 2008.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Jul 28, 2008 #1
    seafood

    seafood Chillin' With My Peeps

    121
    0
    129
    Feb 12, 2008
    Our 10 chickens are now 19 weeks old. Their combs have all darkened up and I assume I could expect to see the first egg any day now.

    We have 4 nest boxes in the coop with straw just awaiting the big day. Of the 10 chickens about 5 have started getting "out" of the fenced in area and enjoy true free ranging throughout the day. All of them come back in for water and roosting and things seem to be going well.

    Question: How quickly will they acclimate to the nest boxes? Or will they not acclimate at all and just lay anywhere they deem safe and appropriate? Do I need to be searching the outlying areas that the free rangers cover to make sure they are laying elsewhere?

    Any tips for me as we are getting ready to see production begin soon for the first time?

    thanks
     
  3. Jul 28, 2008 #2
    goldnchocolate

    goldnchocolate Chillin' With My Peeps

    776
    4
    143
    May 9, 2008
    Massachusetts
    Getting the first egg is so exciting [​IMG]!! Keep a lookout for eggs that may have been laid out of the nest. I think sometimes the first egg sort of surprises the hen and they just lay where ever they happen to be at the moment. You could also play a few "dummy" eggs in the nests to give them a visual of where they should be laying them.
     
  5. Jul 28, 2008 #3
    DLS

    DLS Chillin' With My Peeps

    846
    3
    161
    Mar 15, 2008
    100 miles SOUTH of Atlanta
    can't wait to hear how it tasted:rolleyes:
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by