First Egg Countdown

[Jaggs]

Congratulations! Those are so beautiful, I'm super jealous! At roughly 20 weeks, My EE does not lay yet.
How old is Midget?

Midget is 24 weeks now. I know how you feel! I was super anxious waiting for that first egg to come. She's still the only one laying, however I have 2 more hens that are now squatting for the roosters. Hopefully they will start laying soon!

Good luck with your EE's!

 

[Jaggs]

Midget has now laid 5 eggs in 6 days. She's amazing! (and OH LORD they taste wonderful!) She is still my only hen laying. They other 5 are also 24 weeks. Hopefully they will start laying soon. Can someone please give me a little input with what to do with the eggs after? Should I wash them (I have been) Refridgerate? What is the shelf life? At the moment they wont last long enough to chance going bad... but once they all start laying I'll have way more eggs than I need. Thanks again!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks
Quote: Bet it's a double yolker.

Midget has now laid 5 eggs in 6 days. She's amazing! (and OH LORD they taste wonderful!) She is still my only hen laying. They other 5 are also 24 weeks. Hopefully they will start laying soon. Can someone please give me a little input with what to do with the eggs after? Should I wash them (I have been) Refridgerate? What is the shelf life? At the moment they wont last long enough to chance going bad... but once they all start laying I'll have way more eggs than I need. Thanks again!!

It's really personal preference. The hen puts a protective coating on the egg called a bloom that keeps bacteria out. If you wash them, you are washing off this layer of protection.

I don't wash mine, and I store my most current on the counter in my egg skelter. I bake and baked goods come out better if the eggs have not been refrigerated. I refrigerate them as needed, if my skelter gets full. If you wash them, they must be refrigerated. If you store them unwashed, you can wash before using if you like. I don't, as I very rarely get a dirty egg.

Unwashed on the counter will be good for at least a couple of weeks. Unwashed in the fridge they will last 3 or so months. Washed and in the fridge, they don't last as long - since I don't store my eggs this way, I'm not positive on the timing, but I would say about a month.

If you incubate eggs, it's important that they are not washed.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Oh, and for those that don't know - this is an egg skelter filled with welsummer eggs:

 

[kpsocalchicks89]

where'd you get that its awesome!

 

[Twinklin]

My BSL Onyxia is on a 25 day streak. Hasn't missed a day since her first egg. Super proud. My EE and Welly still haven't laid. They're about 26 1/2 weeks. My Red is on about a 25 hour cycle it seems. She skips a day about every 6 days.

 

[Happy Chooks]

where'd you get that its awesome!

It was a gift from a friend, at the time, they were only sold in the UK. But now Manna Pro sells them:
http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/the-egg-skelter/

 

[h2ofowllovngrl]

OHMYGOD!!!! I want one of those so bad now!!!e

 

[Happy Chooks]

Christmas is coming. Good thing to ask for.

 

[h2ofowllovngrl]

Christmas is coming.  Good thing to ask for.

Oh heck yeah!!! Thanks for sharing the picture. I was just about to go look it up and boom! You posted your pic of it.