First egg...and boy was I surprised!

[INchickens]

Went out to do chores this a.m., and there was a tiny egg by the feed bucket. My girls are only 3 1/2 mos., I thought they wouldn't start laying until 5 or 6 mos. I'm not sure which one is laying, but I suspect a Buff Orp. Is this common? or do I have an "early bird"?

Do I need to provide oyster shell now? They get to free range for a few hours a day, get crumbles and scratch grains.

 

[Guitartists]

If you've got girls laying I'd put the Oyster shell in as free choice for sure

 

[INchickens]

Where do I get it.... I haven't seen it at Rural King where I buy feed.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
You can get it at TSC, or ask at the counter..

 

[INchickens]

ok, I'll check there. Is it early for them to start laying?

 

[skeeter]

you can also get oyster shell at the grocery store,and just smash them up

 

[Stella1964]

Quote:
This is very timely. I have 4 chickens, each 16 weeks old now and JUST TODAY one of them laid a cute little perfect egg on the coop floor. I'm quite certain it was my Rex Sex Link, but the books all say that my Black Sex Link will lay at 16 weeks, and the others (leghorn, RIR and RSL) will lay around 20 weeks. So I'm quite surprised. I think it's the RSL because she just started squatting the last couple of days and I've read that this is a sign. The others don't squat yet.

So, do I think 3.5 months is early to lay? Yes, but they're each individual and grow at different rates so I guess as long as they aren't hurt by it, it should be nothing to worry about. I've also read that if you keep daylight to less than 15 hours per day, it will help them grow slower and therefore not lay eggs before their bodies are ready.

I'm not feeding mine any oyster shells until they all start laying. Too much calcium for the non layers right now may damage their kidneys.

 

[INchickens]

ok... thanks for the info. The shells look good on the 3 eggs that I've gotten so far...so I think I'll wait on the oyster shell til the majority start laying also.

Tomorrow we are building nest boxes!!

 

[Stella1964]

Ya, good luck with that. I built them a nice one and what does mine do? Lay on the floor!

 

[Pecky]

We have nice laying boxes for our hens aswell, they didn't lay in them for like 2 weeks, so just wait it out. XD