First Egg Countdown

[cncarter7276]

I got my very first egg today and it is beautiful I was not even prepared to get it. We got our 6 red sex links on march 9th, so we have had them almost 16 weeks. I am not 100% sure how old they were when we got them. I remember they were tiny little things all yellow and fluffy - so I thought they were only days old, but maybe they were older.

A few days ago they started doing the submissive little squat where the slightly raise the wings out when I pet them. They have also started singing - or at least it seems like they are doing that cute egg song. I looked up on line the squat and the singing and they seem to be displaying that behavior.

I am so happy - it is amazing how much fun it is to have chickens then you get your first egg and it is oh so much better... --> on cloud 9

 

[HomesteadDebi]

I have 4 RIRs that are 15 1/2 weeks old (one roo), 4 BOs and 4 Barred Rocks that are 14 1/2 weeks old. I have a while to go, but I am eagerly awaiting my first egg. I also have 4 EEs, but they are 9 1/2 weeks old, so I have a long wait for them.

We've had the nesting boxes blocked off since putting the girls in the coop. We are going to finish them tomorrow (still have to put the dividers in them). I think I am going to open them up and put wooden eggs and golf balls in there so they can start checking them out. The girls combs have started really growing and turning a bit darker this last week. No squatting yet.

It's hard to be patient, but I have to be. lol

 

[wlyouth05]

Did not separate. didn't have time. lol

 

[HomeByBonnie]

Sorry for the whole story...
I have 42 different Chickens that include White Leghorns, RIR's, RSL's, BO's, BA's, BR's, EE's, BCM's, CW's, BM's (bad initials - Black Minorcas), and 7 Bantams. The oldest are the leghorns, at 15 weeks all the way down to 8 weeks for some breeds. I've been meaning to build their next boxes for the past couple of weeks. I finally got it built on Friday night and Saturday morning (8 nest boxes for all with a crate in another corner that they find interesting for some reason). I mounted it to the wall on Sunday morning and put in some pine shavings and a fake egg in all but two of the boxes. One of my leghorns has a crazy tall comb and bright red so I knew she was ready to start laying. As soon as I mounted the nest box to the wall, she got in and snooped around. After that, she walked over to me (totally unlike her - she is very flighty - like her leghorn sisters) and I reached out to pet her. She bowed down as if I was mating with her so I stroked her back kind of aggressively. Once she was "satisfied" she started what I thought was her "egg song" - ('ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-bacaaaaack"). She exited the coop out the door that I had open which is my access door (from the other side of the shed). She was going from one shelf to the next. I figured she was trying to lay so I took her off the shelf and carried her over to the nest box and set her in one of the slots. She walked around and fluffed up several until she found the right one. Within an hour, she laid us our first egg - albeit a little small. I am such a proud papa!!! She laid another one today - about 26 hours later - and a little bigger. it is funny because now she is the sweetest bird and lets me pet her whenever I want (I thinks she is wanting me to sex her up because she does a slight squat with her wings out slightly when I try to pet her - but if she lays for me by me doing it, then I will continue to pet her back for a few seconds to keep her interested).

My wife said, "you weren't this excited when our kids were born." to which I replied, "I had a lot less work in the production of our kids than I do these eggs." we both had a good laugh. I treat my chickens like gold and they are spoiled rotten but it is a labor of love for me.

BTW. She laid at 14 weeks, 6 days and I don't think any of the others will start for at least a few weeks - although she is gathering quite an audience when she lays. I guess the others are learning what to do.

I love your story! My girls love the attention I give them and consider my 4 year old som their rooster!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats to all of you getting eggs!

 

[hifidelity]

Mine started laying Sunday and so far I've gotten 14 eggs from my 11 BO's. I think only 4 have started laying because that's the most I've gotten in one day. So far my egg count per day is: 1, 2, 4, 1, 4, and I've gotten 2 so far today.

 

[ohiochick2013]

That's great!

 

[kmollyhughes]

My BO started laying today! Yay! She had to make her nest just right... Then screamed her egg song after. She was very proud of herself! 17 weeks old this week.

 

[Happy Chooks]

My BO started laying today! Yay! She had to make her nest just right...

Then screamed her egg song after. She was very proud of herself! 17 weeks old this week.

Congrats!

 

[HomeByBonnie]

Getting eggs from 18 week old Black Sex Links...but is it weird that I can't stinkin wait for my Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers?! Ahhhh The red combs and squating are killing me! I give them a pep talk every night...my Hubby talks about large BBQ every morning. ;p

All of mine are laying now and I tell each of them "Thank You!" or "Good Job Girls!"

We have chicks which are growing fast that my husband says we can easily make them into chicken nuggets.