First Egg Countdown

[rlhagan56]

WOO HOO! 5 eggs from my 5 girls today!! At 25 weeks and 5 days Peachy my EE finally laid an egg! It's so pretty, so mint green! And big too! Guess the girls gave her the talk when she went back yesterday haha. I found all 5 of these a few minutes ago, the little pale brown is the Barred Rock Baby my spoiled tomato thief. I guess it is partly true that later layers lay bigger, Baby needs to catch up and she is as big as my BO. She was such a tiny, busy chick that nothing bothered. Love my girls too! I forgot to add that the funniest part of finding the 5 eggs was, I turned around all excited and there were all 5 girls staring at me like,"Well? Where's the mealworm treats?" Uh oh, now I have to buy some more.

Now, maybe in another week I can find out from some of you on another thread what some of those tiny bantams might be. They are so cute! Two of them are kind have light peach colored
feathers coming in and they are really tiny things.

 

[rlhagan56]

OMG! OMG! We finally had a first egg!!!!! Our Barred Rock, Domino, laid a cute little brown egg today. My Grandchild were visiting and we have been watching her go in and out of the nesting boxes all day. Then we went inside to get a brownie and when we went back outside, we looked in the nest and there it was!!!! I couldn't believe it! She is 22 weeks + 2 days old!!!!! So excited. Now we are keeping our eye on one of my EE who is also checking the nest out! YAAAAAAAAY!
Her egg is on the left compared to store bought large egg.

DANG! I never thought about using my shredded bills lol. Good use for them! I bet that makes a nice nest stuffing.

 

[Flowerbh]

DANG! I never thought about using my shredded bills lol. Good use for them! I bet that makes a nice nest stuffing.

They are actually food store flyers! We shredd them. They are soft and FREE! Yes, I put a little pine shavings at the bottom of the nest but then put the shredded flyers on top. Easy to clean up, too! The hens seem to like it.

 

[7 Biddies]

You have GOT to be close with at least some of them. Unbelievable that out of 23 chickens, not a one of them has laid an egg at 22 weeks.

On the bright side, I have heard that hens who start laying later tend to be healthier in the long run and tend to produce larger eggs. Here's to long laying healthy hens...

As my Nana used to say, "Good things come to those who wait". Maybe your hens are going to produce golden eggs.

 

[dsteber]

My chicks are about 25 - 26 weeks old. 1st up is Brandy. She is a Heritage RIR. She has just recently started to squat for me.


2nd is Grace. She is a Heritage BR. Same age. No comb yet.


Next is Ginger. She is a Heritage NHR. Same age.


Last, but not least is Jesse. She is not Heritage. Same age, but the widest!!!


I have the plastic eggs in the nest box. They have been on Layena since about 18 weeks, Treats of crickets and scratch every now and then, But nothing. I have pine shavings in their house. I left the roam around my backyard for an hour or 2 during the day, and they have a fenced and covered area the other times. I love my chicks, but they are killing me!!! I think I am doing everything right!! Bunch of free loaders!!! LOL!

 

[Flowerbh]

Once they start squatting for you, look for eggs in 7 - 10 days. That is what mine did!

 

[Happy Chooks]

All but Grace are really close.



I have a couple 22 week old wellies, they should start up in a couple more weeks. 2 barnies are the same age, but they will take a lot longer, around 35 weeks for them.

 

[Flowerbh]

All but Grace are really close.



I have a couple 22 week old wellies, they should start up in a couple more weeks. 2 barnies are the same age, but they will take a lot longer, around 35 weeks for them.

Ugggg, How can you stand waiting that long! I can't stand the waiting! Still have some that I am waiting for!

 

[rlhagan56]

Did you try putting fake eggs in the nests? It is believed that chickens will lay where other chickens are laying because they think it is safe if other chickens think it's safe. I put my fake eggs in weeks before they started laying. That way, they have already "picked" on them and found them not something to eat. It helps when the real eggs come. Now, they don't have any curiosity about the real eggs because they didn't find the fake eggs appetizing. Fake eggs can be plastic easter eggs, golf balls, or wooden eggs. Good luck!

Interesting! I put plastic eggs in (Wal Mart special .50 leftovers) at 18 weeks I think it was when I uncovered the nests and I put 3 in each nest. Every day I would find one ore two opened or on the floor lol. That explains a lot. I just love watching my hens and chicks. My hens gently move and roll whatever egg is in the nest until comfortable ( I guess). Three of them didn't squat until they laid that first egg. I have to be careful tho. I like to pet them when they squat suddenly - hey, it works and they seem to tame down more- but I have to be careful or Lil Buddy will take advantage of the situation lol. Of course he is only about a 1/4 the size of them.

 

[Flowerbh]

Interesting! I put plastic eggs in (Wal Mart special .50 leftovers) at 18 weeks I think it was when I uncovered the nests and I put 3 in each nest. Every day I would find one ore two opened or on the floor lol. That explains a lot. I just love watching my hens and chicks. My hens gently move and roll whatever egg is in the nest until comfortable ( I guess). Three of them didn't squat until they laid that first egg. I have to be careful tho. I like to pet them when they squat suddenly - hey, it works and they seem to tame down more- but I have to be careful or Lil Buddy will take advantage of the situation lol. Of course he is only about a 1/4 the size of them.

I ended up with a ooopps roo. He is 17 weeks old now. He is as big as the 24 week old hens. They still chase him all over. He hasn't crowed yet either. His coloring is starting to come in on his saddle feathers. As long as he stays nice, we will keep him. If I ever find I have to carry a stick with me in the yard or he attacks my small dogs, he is out of here.